Misplaced
by Tishbing
Summary: A young woman is out of place and time ending up on the Enterprise. Will she adapt and find a way home? Or will she discover that this is her home that she was alway meant to have?
1. Chapter 1

Hi! This is my first Star Trek fan fiction. I absolutely live off of and want comments. Any ideas or criticism is greatly appreciated. I hope to make this into a continuing story. It will mostly be from the oc's point of view. As always, I own no part of Star Trek. Just borrowing it for a little fun. I do however own my character.

Thanks!  
Tishbing

Chapter one  
October 2012  
Pulling her hair back into it's messy bun Liz quickly raced down the hall. Though she couldn't hear the beeping of the call button she did see the light. Of course, ten minutes til the end of shift change. She quickly pulled her scrub top straight and put on her professional mask as she opened the privacy curtain. Immediately she was assaulted by streamers and her co-workers. She couldn't help but smile. There on the stretcher was by far the largest cake she had ever seen! Her heart swelled at the sight. Before she could sign thank you she was enveloped in a group hug. She turned to her best friend Sarah.  
"What is this all about?" She stammered.  
"It's because you're going to be in the Bahamas tomorrow and we couldn't let one of our best nurses go without telling her Happy Birthday!" Liz almost cried. She could barely believe that 2 years ago she had joined the team here at the university hospital emergency department against much opposition only now to be a valued staff member. The doctors had adamantly refused to work with her due to her deafness but now they held her as dear as family. It was a delicate balance but it was perfect.  
After a harried round of Happy Birthday all done in sign language and a quick bite of cake she had to run. She couldn't miss her flight. Due to the unexpected surprise she didn't have time to change. She ran to the locker room and grabbed her suitcase. She was finally going on vacation!  
Finally on the connection flight to Nassau she felt she could relax. In a way she was glad she was deaf. She got landed in the aisle seat with the largest man she had seen in a while snoring so bad she could feel the vibrations. She smiled to herself. Soon she would be walking the white beaches and getting a tan while her co-workers would be dealing with every kid in Washington state barfing from too much Halloween candy. She could see it now. Wait. No she couldn't. The lights started flickering. She suddenly felt a jolt in her seat. Panicking she looked around. Liz watched as people started gripping the arms of their chairs. She felt her head snap back as the plane gave another lurch. Looking to her left she saw people crying. Her heart started hammering in her chest. She couldn't understand. Time seemed to stop. She watched in agonized horror as the plane broke around her. Her breath gone as lightning swallowed her.

Enterprise 2260  
"Captain, I am detecting a high concentration of gravimetric disturbances approximately 20,000 km off our port bow. It appears to be a type of energy ribbon." Spock stood from his station stiffly. His curiosity peaked he needed to investigate further. He waited patiently for his captain to turn in response to his unasked question. Looking down he raised his eyebrow waiting. The young blonde smiled.  
"Alright Commander. Let's see what this is all about. I can see you're itching to find out exactly what this is. Helm, take us within 5000 km."  
The young helmsman smiled. Spock quickly turned to his scanner. Moving his long fingers he delicately typed in the orders to start recording data. Pausing when he noticed an odd reading. "Fascinating." He quickly rechecked his readings. Noticing someone close by he pulled back. The captain had moved closer to his station leaning in next to him.  
"What is it?" He ran a hand casually through his hair frowning. Spock seemed unsure but he needed to voice his suspicions.  
"I believe I am picking up a human life sign in the anomaly. I am uncertain as to how it is possible but the signal is weak. I feel that we would have a more definite reading if we were to move closer." He stood straight waiting.  
"You think there's someone trapped in that? Is that even possible?" Spock watched as the captain confirmed his reading. Feeling slight irritation at being double checked he dismissed it as human behavior.  
"Chekov, Is it possible to move closer to the energy ribbon? Maybe we can get a transporter lock on the life sign." Kirk went down to his chair to be able to see more effectively.  
"Aye Keptain." They moved to within 1000 km before the alarms started.  
"Captain, it is confirmed. One weak human life sign. We have a lock however it is fluctuating. Also we seem to be being pulling in with the gravimetric forces of the energy ribbon. We must pull away now." The Enterprise started to shake and groan. proximity alarms blaring. Spock struggled with the transporter at the same time attempting to calculate how to pull away from the ribbon.  
"Ensign, your assistance please with the transporter. I believe a resonance pulse from the deflector can break the hold."  
"Do it! Chekov, try to get a lock on that life sign but 1st priority goes to getting us out of here in one piece." Spock spared a look as the young ensign ran for the transporter room while he adjusted the deflector controls.  
"Shields at 50% commander" Sulu shouted out.  
"Any time Spock." He could hear the tension in his commander's voice.  
"Captain! Ensign Chekov says transport was successful." Uhura strained over the loud whine of the engines.  
"Spock?" Captain Kirk looked up in nervous anticipation. Stocks fingers flew over the controls inputting the final code. Suddenly th ship jarred forward knocking everyone off their feet.  
"I do believe we have broken free of the energy ribbon." Spock moved to assist Uhura who had hit her head and seemed dazed.

Meanwhile in the transporter room Chekov looked to what he had beamed in. He pulled himself off the floor wincing feeling a little bruised but stopped when he saw a young girl lying on the transporter pad. She must have gotten hurt from the jolt. She was small, dressed in a blue uniform type scrubs with a name badge on her chest. Her hair long and curly half out of a bun with the left half quickly covering in blood glasses askew and her left arm bent at a very bad angle. He could see her getting paler by the minute. He slammed the comm.  
"Medics to the transporter room. Hurry. We have one casualty." He didn't even wait for the response. He rushed over as he saw her stirring. Laying his hands on her small shoulders her stilled her movements. "Shh...It's alvight. Ze doctor will help you." Her intense emerald eyes watched him carefully frowning.  
"I dun undershtand you. I can't see with my glasses broken." Chekov simply attributed her slurred speech to trauma and smiled. He stroked her hair and held her until he heard the grumblings of the CMO and his staff with a stretcher.  
"Dammit Jim! Couldn't keep the ship straight. Can you walk?" He looked to the girl on the floor who looked back at him puzzled. Deciding she must be in some sort of shock he began running a scanner over her. Noticing her flinching he backed off motioning for a stretcher and for the orderlies to move her carefully to it. It was at this point she starting backing up.  
"Whoa there darlin'. We're not gonna hurt you. I'm a doctor." She watched him intently squinting through the blood rapidly covering her eyes and glasses. Chekov gave her a reassuring pat on her arm.  
"Alright. I guesh it is...ok. I will...come with you but I wish to be...informed of all...treatments. I am a nurse. I know what is wrong with my body." McCoy rolled his eyes. "Thank you Ensign. You are dismissed. I do believe Jim will be most curious about our guest."  
The ensign practically bounced out but not before giving the girl one last smile which she weakly returned.  
Once he had the girl situated on the stretcher her was able to inventory her injuries. A broken wrist and small hairline fracture to the skull with a cut that would need a dermal regeneration. He placed a pad on he head and removed what looked to be glasses from her face. He hadn't seen a set of those in years and only from books. She started to protest their removal in slurred speech. Adding possible brain trauma to the list he began questioning her. His face pointed away she didn't see him talking so she remained silent. He started panicking at her lack of speech and sped the transport arriving in sickbay. She started moving o get up. Her gently pushed her back down with one hand grabbing a hypo with the other quickly sedating her. He had to get her stable if she was not talking. He quickly moved her to a bio bed. The readings were strange. No wonder she didn't respond.  
While McCoy was finishing inventorying her unusual results he heard the door to his office swish open admitting the captain and first officer.  
"Bones, How is our guest?" McCoy lifted his gaze from his PADD and sighed. Frowning he watched as the young captain slipped into one of the office chairs while his companion stood hands behind his back waiting patiently.  
"Well, I don't suppose I need to tell you she is an unusual case."


	2. Chapter 2

"Bones, we need to talk to this person. Is she even human?" Kirk's eyes blazed with curiosity. McCoy stood from his desk gesturing towards the medical bay intending for his friends to follow.  
"I've gotten her relatively stable. She has a concussion and for now I've got her wrist in a splint. She's human. She should be regaining consciousness in a moment but we need to talk beforehand. She's a very unique case." His eyes trailed to the small form on the bio bed. Nurse Chapel had wrapped her in a blanket and almost the only thing visible was the curly brown hair peeking over the fabric. He was worried about her. She couldn't have been older than 25.  
"I would like to know what she was doing in a spatial anomaly and that said anomaly nearly pulled us in too. I need answers." He quickened his pace toward to indicated bio bed.  
"Jim! I don't think she's gonna have any answers for you. When she was pulled out she was terrified." He moved in front of Kirk to place himself in front of his patient. Kirk smiled and put his hands up in acquiescence.  
"Ok. I'll be careful with her but I'd like to know what happened and I'm hoping she'll have the answers." McCoy moved aside to allow the gentlemen to pass. Spock paused looking at McCoy for a moment.  
"I agree with the doctor. Her signal seemed to be in a state of temporal flux. That is why I enlisted the ensign's assistance in retrieving her. This woman may not know how she came to be here."

The first thing she could feel was pain. Her head felt like she had gone on a 2 day bender and forgotten the aspirin. Her arms were like lead and were too heavy to lift. She remembered being in a strange mostly white room a moment ago with a young man holding her. If this was heaven she wanted a refund. It hurt too much. Her left arm was immobilized and it was too bright. Though her eyes were closed she could see the brightness through her eyelids. She slowly opened them only to close the quickly with a groan. She knew she had to open them again but she just didn't want to. Suddenly she felt a cold hiss on her neck and she jumped what felt like ten feet in the air.  
"What the hell?" Though she was angry she did notice her headache subsided and she was able to mostly make out her surroundings. She could make out three blurry indistinct shapes near the side of what she assumed was her bed. She could see them coming closer and quickly she put up her arms in a sad attempt to defend herself.  
"I need my glasses. I can't see you." She watched them seem to talk amongst themselves before one in blue reached to a side table placing something in her hand. She was relieved to find that they were her glasses. A little bent but they were useable. She had to use her right hand to put them on when she noticed her left was in a type of splint.  
Now she could see. Sighing she looked herself over. Apart from her head and wrist she was surprised she had survived a plane crash so well. Her attention was immediately taken over by the sheer state of the room she was in. It looked, well, cool! There were computer terminals over every what she believed to be hospital bed. It was amazing. She'd never seen anything like this. It had the feel of the military though looking at the three men in front of her she's never seen uniforms like that.  
Two of the men were wearing blue shirts with a strange insignia on the chest. One looked like a really nice gentleman. He had a kind smile on his face while the other had a slightly puzzled but neutral expression. He seemed to have a slight green tinge to him. Almost like he felt sick. It was then that she noticed his ears. She had to shake her head to be sure she wasn't crazy. Were those pointed? Frowning she moved to the third man in front of her. He was clearly the one in charge. His gold colored shirt matched his hair. He had a kind smile but his eyes were a sharp blue that seemed to be watching her rather than simply looking at her. It made her feel even more uneasy than she already was. At least she still had on her scrubs rather than being in some strange hospital gown. It helped her to feel a little more in control of the situation.  
She focused on the mouth of the one talking to her. The blonde man had clearly been talking for a while but she had been so overwhelmed by her strange surroundings that she didn't notice.  
"I'm sorry. Could you repeat? I missed what you said first. You need to talk...a little slower and...and face me. I won't understand if I can't see your mouth." She struggled to get the words out as she watched the man's face looked at her almost incredulously.  
"My name is Captain James Kirk of the USS Enterprise. Who are you?" He repeated.  
"I'm Elizabeth Parker. My friends call me Liz. Where am I? The last thing I remember was being on my flight to Nassau for my vacation and the plane crashing. What's going on?" She could feel her panic slowly rising. The other man in blue, not the one who looked seasick moved closer put a hand on her arm. The small gesture calmed her but she still felt scared.  
"Miss Parker, what was the date of your flight?" The pointy eared one asked. Rolling her eyes she did understand the necessity of neurological questions but it still made her feel stupid.  
"October 30th 2012. It was due to arrive in Nassau on my birthday. Halloween. Why? Is this even a naval ship?" She started getting up to move away. Her eyes started tearing up. Quickly she wiped them because otherwise she wouldn't be able to "hear" them.  
"Miss Parker, the year is 2260. You are on a Federation Starship in deep space. We located you trapped in gravitational ribbon." It was at that point she stopped paying attention. This wasn't possible. She shook her head and closed her eyes. Pulling away from the gentle hand on her arm she stumbled off of the bed. If they were talking to her she wasn't watching. This had to be some sort of sick joke. It wasn't possible. Looking up she saw a door leading out. The three men didn't approach her. She saw their mouths moving and their hands up but she couldn't focus. Her path was blocked. Her only option was to back up to the wall behind her. Her mind was blank with disbelief. Almost as if it was someone else's body she felt the wall behind her and sank down. She couldn't even breath. There was nothing. She looked up with wide eyes and saw the nicer man in the blue shooing off the other two before he slowly sat down in front of her.  
"Don't touch me." Was all she could hiss. She knew he wouldn't hurt her but it almost felt like if she was touched it would be real.  
"I'm Dr. McCoy. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help if you want it. Can you hear me?" She saw him look at her intently and she almost laughed. He seemed so sweet but at the same time she didn't know him.  
"I am deaf but I can lip read and speak reasonably well." Seriously? You're in the future and you couldn't figure that out? As if reading her thoughts he answered.  
"Well, I knew that but it's been a long time since I've seen it. Especially in such a mild case. I can fix that you know. If you'd let me. Same with your vision." She looked at him like he'd grown an extra head. Laughing she shook her head.  
"Look, it's just not possible. My deafness was caused by ototoxicity by an antibiotic when I was a baby. It irreparably damaged the cochlea in my ears. If you could fix that why not my wrist?" Pulling up the affected limb she smiled thinly. His only response was to laugh. She put her arm down quickly and scowled.  
"Well, you did say to not touch you. It's a simple procedure but you'd need to be sedated. Knitting bones is uncomfortable. While that was going on I could do the ears and eyes at the same time. If you want?"  
"I don't believe you." She stated. His response was to smile. Standing up he offered her his hand. She didn't know why she took it but she didn't feel pressured. He led her out of the sickbay. Her eyes wanted to look everywhere at once. She saw people of all kinds in similar uniforms to the captain but the sight was a little overwhelming. They all seemed to have a purpose and they all nodded politely to her.  
She allowed this doctor to steer her to a type of elevator. She turned to see him frowning at her. "I'm ok." She let him know. He simply nodded and proceeded to pull her off the elevator once they reached their destination. It looked like another mostly white corridor but he pulled her into a room. Her hand released from the doctor's went to her mouth. It was beautiful. All across the front was a giant window leading to the outside. There were stars everywhere. It seemed endless and at the same time finite. Slowly she moved to the glass and touched it. It was so cold but amazing. There weren't words to describe it. She didn't even realize she had been holding her breath until she pulled in a gasp at the sight before her. She didn't know how long she had been like that before she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She slowly tore her gaze away from the sight to take in the kind man next to her.  
"Almost anything is possible." He simply said.  
"Alright. But I'm still scared." Liz threw back. She didn't know what her future held but it was sure going to be an interesting ride now.


	3. Chapter 3

Hi to all the readers out there! Thank you for even taking the time to read my little fanfic. I would like for this to be a joint effort so any ideas for how you want this story to go are always welcome! I live for reviews and PMs so feel free to critique anything and if anything needs changing let me know! Thank you so much and as always I own nothing but my OC and am borrowing Star Trek for a bit of fun.

Tish bing

Chapter Three

The Captain looked over the report from engineering detailing the minor damage and signed it quickly. He was more curious about the energy ribbon and the visitor but business had to be attended to first. Shifting in his command chair he waited for Bone's report. She was a strange case. She was human. That much Spock had confirmed but she seemed to struggle with standard. Although she hadn't been looking at him directly he could almost feel the intensity behind those big green eyes. He was sure he hadn't purposely tried to scare her but clearly Bones had disagreed sending them quickly on their way. She had been small for a woman but her hair had made up for her height. A curly mass of brown all over the place and her clothes were that of a medical type. Almost like the scrubs bones wore after a surgery. There had been a name on her chest with a picture. He decided to see if he could find out a little more about their unintended guest.  
He looked up to see Spock clearly busy with analyzing the energy ribbon. They were well into beta shift so Kirk and Spock were the only senior officers on the bridge so he went over to the science station next to the commander's to start his search.  
"Found anything Spock?" He quietly asked. He knew his science officer was so thorough he'd probably already done the search and he didn't want to usurp his authority by repeating what was already done. Spock slowly pulled himself straight and looked at him, eyebrow raised.  
"I have found many things. Though none of which concern Miss Parker. This anomaly has never been recorded before. It seems to have temporal qualities however it appears to be naturally occurring. It has quickly moved out of sensor range once we deflected it with our resonance pulse. I have been attempting to track it's projected path with little success." Kirk sighed and ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair.  
"Spock, why don't you take a break. I'm sure Uhura is waiting for you as your shift ended two hours ago." Spock looked towards Kirk almost sighing.  
"Captain, I believe your shift has been over as well. May I enquire as to your delay in retiring?" He couldn't help but laugh. Leading with an arm towards to turbo lift he followed his first officer off the bridge.  
"You're right. I was just hoping to do a little research on our visitor. I am a little curious as to her behavior. I understand some fear but she also didn't seem to really understand me. I was hoping to get a point of reference to be able to talk to her." He hit the level for officer's quarters.  
"Captain, I have already compiled a list of the available information regarding Miss Parker. I have sent the file to your personal computer. I was able to...multitask. I anticipated your curiosity. I believe lieutenant Uhura may be of some assistance on your next meeting. Miss Parker didn't seem to understand because she couldn't hear you." The lift opened and they stepped out. Frowning he turned back to Spock.  
"Damage from the anomaly?"  
"No. She was deaf from an infant. I believe the doctor is still treating her but I believe it may be wise to let her acclimatize to her new surroundings before seeking her out again." Maybe Spock was right. He didn't want to overload her and he did have paperwork to catch up on as well as a little reading. There'd be some time to get to know her soon enough anyway. They were a couple of months away from a star base that could take her at any rate.  
"Hey Spock. Thanks. I knew I picked you for my First Officer for some reason." He couldn't help but laugh at the look he received.  
"Indeed." Waving him off he headed to his own quarters to find out what Spock had dug up.

Opening her eyes she felt tired and the world seemed out of focus. She blinked again and things slowly came into focus. The lights were low in a sort of simulated night she remembered from her graveyard shifts at the hospital. Her arms felt very heavy and there was no pain but something seemed off. A muffled sort of beeping. Lifting her arms she felt pads covering her ears. Excitement coursed through her. Was it possible? She could feel her heart beating in her chest and her vision started to get blurry again. But this time it was due to tears. Her hands were perfect not even a mark. But before she had a chance to even marvel at the miracle she was assaulted with a damn penlight.  
"What the hell?" She started batting at the offending hands. Irritated she waited for her vision to clear and saw the amused smile of Dr. McCoy.  
"You're as bad as Jim." Though she could hear muffled sounds she couldn't make out the words. She still had to focus on his mouth. Clearly her puzzlement showed. It was probably a curse of being deaf. She was never really good at hiding her facial expressions.  
"I want your ears to heal. The tissue is still highly sensitive so it'll be a about a day before we can fully remove the coverings. There's also the issue of vaccinations. You're not fully covered anymore now. I'd like to keep you overnight while you get those. It won't affect anything we've done but you'll probably be uncomfortable and I'd rather keep an eye on you for any reactions. Is that ok?" She turned to the door and watched as a pretty blonde lady lined up what looked like a hundred shots on a tray and she could feel panic starting to creep up on her. She'd always hated needles. Yes, the irony of being a nurse dealing with needles all day was not lost on her but she still hated them. She could hear a muffled beeping getting faster and it matched her heart. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and she looked into warm brown eyes.  
"Ok. But I don't want to look." He laughed at her statement letting her know he'd seen it all before. Clearly she wasn't the only one who didn't like getting shots.

After a restless uncomfortable night where she honestly thought her muscles were on fire before she finally felt human again by morning. She dragged her stiff body off of the bed wincing at the sight of the bruises on her arms, her legs and she knew they were elsewhere because they had run out of places for the vaccines. How in the hell did people actually live outside of a medical bay? The sheer number of vaccines was enough to keep people there for years. She peeked around the door feeling like a child sneaking out of bed after lights out but damn, she needed coffee and an aspirin. She also wanted to stretch and move. She'd been stuck on her back for way too long and not in a fun way. Spying the blonde nurse from the previous night she tried to flatten her hair and look a little more presentable but she knew he looked a mess. The shorts and tank top they had her in made her feel almost naked and she just wasn't much of a morning person. She held her arms in front of her trying to cover herself and stiffly walked over. That woman seemed to be psychic. Before Liz even reached her she had turned with a tray carrying coffee and a couple of what looked to be pills. She laughed in relief.  
"I daresay you've probably seen enough hyposprays to last a lifetime huh?" She could see the laughter in her blue eyes and she couldn't help but smile. She quickly brought her hand to her chin and pulled it down telling her thank you and took the coffee and the meds. It was passable but what she wouldn't give for a Starbucks about now. Maybe she'd have to teach them about it.  
"I...uh don't have any clothes." Nurse Chapel quickly pulled her to a replicator and helped her pick out a suitable outfit. After showing her to the showers she stepped out feeling great. She left her hair down to cover her ears and she looked in the mirror. She'd never seen herself clearly without glasses. It was weird. She had picked out a simple flowing blue top, long sleeves and a pair of stretchy boot cut yoga pants with ballet flats. Even with the pain blockers everything still felt a little sore. She wondered if she could take a look around and see this "starship". The walk would help her feel better. She moved out to the main part of the medical bay and walked straight into a young boy. Though it was a gentle tap it felt like a truck hit her and she wanted the damn license plate. She grimaced a smile and realized that this was the boy she had first met when she "appeared" here.  
"Hello. I vas vonderink how you vere doing? My name is Pavel Chekov." He was just too cute.  
"I'm ok. Thank you for...I guess saving my life. My name's Elizabeth Parker but you can call me Liz. I was hoping to see if I could take a walk." Though her hearing was muffled she could mostly make out what he was saying though it was much harder. He must have an accent. Her speech though sounded awful. She had thought she had the sound ok through years of speech therapy but now she was beginning to wonder.  
"If you vould like I have time to take you on a leetle tour." Wow. He really was adorable. She almost needed some insulin he was so sweet. She turned to nurse Chapel who'd been spying from her desk and saw her nod but mouthed that Dr. McCoy was still asleep in his office and to quietly leave. Liz took that as to mean hurry back or she'll be busted for breaking out. Giggling she turned to her guide who offered her his arm and they snuck out making sure not to bother the doctor.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi! I just want to say Thank you to the people who are following. It really makes my day when I get an email saying that someone is following my story. Also, Thank you to Elegantghost for the wonderful review and ideas. I love the constructive criticism and I only hope I can write as well as you. The next chapter will be more interesting. I'm hoping to put an away mission in. :) As always any ideas are welcome! Thank you!**

Tishbing

Chapter Four

Bones woke with a start. His joints protesting as he stretched from being in one position too long. He realized he must have fallen asleep on his couch in his office. He had wanted to be close by in case the girl had any problems in the night but damn it he wasn't as young as he once was and his body just wasn't used to pulling late nights anymore. Though he was getting better at it thanks to Jim. Constantly dragging him out when they were at the academy and then he usually had to pull an all nighter putting Jim back together and finish studying. Putting on his computer to switch to Elizabeth's readings he noticed they were absent.

"What?!" He quickly pulled himself out of his office running to the room where she should have been. It was empty save for Nurse Chapel filling out a PADD.

"Where is she?"  
"She's taking a tour with Ensign Chekov."  
"Dammit! I didn't discharge her. You should have come and woke me the second she woke up." He growled.  
"I'm a nurse, not an alarm clock. She's fine. A little sore but the walk will do her good. She should be back soon. And the Ensign will take good care of her."

Somehow his words never had an affect on her. Nurse Chapel rarely let his attitude phase her. She was used to it and he appreciated her for it. He didn't need a weepy head nurse. He could almost feel the panic. He was worried about her. He didn't want another incident with the vaccines like what had happened to his friend.

"Doctor, I made sure she was fine when she left. You looked like you could use the rest." She moved closer and he felt his scowl fall as Chapel put a hand on his arm. Sighing McCoy nodded.  
"You worry too much Doctor."  
"Just don't tell anyone ok?" He smiled as he headed back to his office to grab some coffee. He knew Jim would be there soon to talk and meet with their new guest. He always stopped by for a morning meeting and though he'd never admit it he seeing his friend first thing in the morning always helped him feel happier. It helped to ground him.

He heard before he saw her. An almost musical sound as she was walking back to the sickbay. Her hands moving furiously and she was laughing. Lieutenant Uhura moving next to her doing similar motions. Almost like they were dancing. He just watched fascinated. Uhura almost the polar opposite tall where as she was short, smooth pulled back hair while Liz's was loose and curly, red sharp uniform and her simple blue flowing outfit but that was where the differences ended. Their hands and arms moved fluidly both of them so animated and clearly excited he almost wished he could understand. He patiently waited for them to finish. He saw the lieutenant wave and then Liz looked over to his office. McCoy couldn't help but smile as he saw her eyes light up when she spied him. She bounced over. Clearly she had had a good time.

"Hello Doctor!" She was practically vibrating with energy. What had Chekov done to her?  
"Oh, so now you remember to check in with me? You do realize you left without being discharged? Let's see how you're doing?" He moved to escort her to one of the biobeds and quickly scanned her.  
"Your ears are healed enough to remove the bandages and I see that your speech is improving a bit. With some practice it should be perfect soon." He smiled down at her. She nervously returned it. His tricorder started beeping. Frowning he readjusted it and moved the scanner lower to Liz's side.

"Liz? What's this?" He moved to lift the hem of her shirt when she flew off the table. She looked like a deer in the headlights. Liz carefully smoothed the blouse back into position.  
"It's just a scar. I had an accident a long time ago and it's fine. It healed ok." He noticed her cheeks flushing and she nervously tucked her hair behind her ears. Or tried to. It was so curly it just came right back out.

"Could we take the bandages off? I'm really excited to be able to hear." He knew there was more to it than that. He didn't want to push her though. It wouldn't affect her physical health so he let it go. For now. He moved to slowly remove the bandages from her ears. Normally he left this task to the nurses but he was excited to see her reaction. This was one of the reasons he went to medical school. To cure people.

She was so still when he finished he almost had to make sure she was breathing. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was set in a thin line. He worried that something went wrong. He pulled out the tricorder again and started scanning but had barely moved it toward her head when her arm snaked out and grabbed his. She was smiling and there were tears in her eyes.

"I can hear that so loud. It's wonderful. Thank you!" She was whispering. He felt his heart clench.  
"Oh...come here." He reached out and hugged her.

"Bones! Well, I never knew you were the hugging type."  
They pulled apart faster than warp speed, Elizabeth blushing and McCoy scowling. Jim casually leaning on the door frame smirking.  
"Why is it that she gets a hug and I usually get stabbed in the neck with a hypo. That hurts." He playfully put a hand to his chest in mock pain.  
"It's my way of showing you I care." He snapped back. Though with little bite.  
"I was wondering if we might have a little meet and greet. If it's alright? We haven't been formally introduced Miss Parker. I'm Captain James Kirk." Liz took the offered hand and shook it. Kirk gestured towards the doctor's office.  
"Bones? You don't mind if I steal your patient for a bit do you?" It was more of a statement than a question and he and Liz moved into the office. Jim quickly pulled up some files and turned the screen so that it was visible to both of them. He could see her bright eyes watching him carefully as he finished and turned to face her leaning on the desk while she perched on the chair.

"How are you?"  
"I'm fine. Doctor McCoy is truly a miracle. And this ship is amazing!" Though she smiled she seemed uneasy. He wanted to let her know everything was fine.

"My First Officer Spock was able to find a little bit about you. What you're saying does check out." He pulled up an accident report on her plane, her nursing school records, her birth certificate and lastly a video file. He pressed play and it showed her dancing. He watched her as the video played. Her face was blushing but her eyes showed wonder.

"I've never heard the piece before. I read the words and felt the vibrations but I always wondered." He looked back at the video. It showed a younger Elizabeth moving with a passion across a stage. Her arms and legs flowing and spinning barefoot and smiling. Spinning and twirling to the beat she moved with a grace he had rarely seen.  
"It's called modern dance. It's a variation of ballet. I can't believe you found this video. The song was called "Story"." Tears were running down her face but she was still smiling.

"I wasn't able to move much farther in the competition. I made it to the state levels but it was too hard not being able to hear." The video ended with applause. Jim turned back to her.  
"It's not often we get to rescue a damsel in distress." Smiling he sat down next to her.

"This was about all we could find. Right now we're about 6 months away from a star base and our fleet is spread pretty thin. Not too long ago a lot of our ships were taken out so unfortunately there really isn't a way to get you back to Earth for a while. I'll assign you some quarters for now." He waited for the questions.  
"I can't just sit around for six months. Is there anything I can do? I want to be able to repay you all for what you've done for me." He'd hoped she would say that.

"I saw from your files that you were one of the top in your class at the University of Washington, completing the degree in two years rather than the traditional four. If you're interested in nursing still I know Bones and Nurse Chapel here could get you re-certified. We're still rebuilding after the attacks. You'd be the rank of crewman though and when we returned to Earth I'd like for you to consider joining officially." She looked stunned but pleased.

"Thank you. Do you think they'd accept a...273 year old? That's according to your dates." She was laughing.  
"Well, it'll be an ice breaker." He handed her a PADD smirking.  
"I've got to give Dr. McCoy the good news and get to work. That PADD contains a bit of a history lesson for you and also a list of useful books and information. It also lists your assigned quarters. I'll leave it to the good doctor as to when he'll want you to start. If you're free tonight I'd like to hear about your day, maybe over dinner?"  
"Would I be considered "robbing the cradle" if I said yes?" She tilted her head in amusement.  
"I'll see you in the mess hall around 7."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi to the world of fan fiction! I love hearing from all of you and it really makes my day when I get a message or review so keep them coming. Please? They are the air I breath. As always just borrowing Star Trek.**

Tishbing

Chapter Five

Parker smiled to herself as she watched the captain leave. She was impressed. She was sure he had flirted with her and gave her a job in the same breath. This couldn't be real. It was amazing and exciting and scary all at the same time. She had had so much fun with Ensign Chekov as he showed her around the ship. He was so sweet showing her everything. She was still putting sounds to memory matching them with lip movements but she was adapting quick. The video Captain Kirk had shown her was almost too much. It was amazing to hear the music and see herself. The things the human race saves, huh? She looked down at the PADD and almost fainted on sight. This list was long. She was in for a good long read. Liz moved out to the main medical bay to seek out either Dr. McCoy or Miss Chapel to get instructions only to bounce off the CMO.

"Sorry. Jim just told me the news. So, I see you're staying with us for a little while."  
"Yeah. I guess you're going to be my new superior. The captain left a lot of reading for me." She nervously smiled holding up the PADD for emphasis.  
McCoy smiled back and Liz could feel a slight blush creep up her cheeks but she quickly remembered the sheer volume of studying she had to do.  
"Well, why don't you spend today getting settled in to your assigned quarters and brush up on your books. Miss Chapel and I will put together a set of tests to see where you're at knowledge wise and then we can come up with a schedule. I'll see you here at 0800."

After spending the majority of the day in her quarters she had plowed through the history courses, xenobiology, chemistry and medical procedures noting important questions on a separate PADD to ask someone and was moving onto pharmacology when she heard a chime. Moving away from the small desk in the room she stood and stretched feeling her back pop and realizing with the ache just how long she had been reading.

Her door chimed again bringing her back to the now. She still was amazed that these people had performed such a miracle.  
"Come in."  
The door opened to reveal a young man with slightly pointed ears. She had seen him on the bridge on her impromptu tour Ensign Chekov had taken her on but she couldn't place a name.

"Hello..." Liz let the sentence trail off waiting for him to respond.  
"Good evening Miss Parker. I was curious to meet you after I had discovered your life signs in the spatial anomaly and since discovering your unique situation. My name is Spock." She noticed his expression remained mostly neutral and she thought it was just downright weird but she remembered the article on the Vulcans and brushed it off as a common trait. After all, this was her first alien.

"Hi. Uh...what can I do for you Mr. Spock?" She felt awkward especially when his head tilted almost like he was evaluating her.  
"I had noticed that you have yet to leave your quarters today and partake in nutrition. Or rather, the doctor noticed you have not received a code to use the replicator and as it is late evening it came to his attention during our meeting that you have yet to eat today. I believe he was rather irritated and I informed him I would assist you."

Wow. How much could be put in one sentence.  
"I've actually got a lot of studying to do and I'm not really hungry."  
She really wanted to get through those books or at least make more of a dent in them by tomorrow. Her stomach betrayed her just then by deciding to growl and she received a rather amused look by the Vulcan. She blushed brightly in embarrassment.

"I believe Dr. McCoy was rather insistent that you take a break. I could join you and answer any questions you may have." That killed her objections and she had little choice but to follow the unusual man to the mess hall.

The commander led Elizabeth to the mess hall quickly showing her how to work the replicator. He waited patiently as she selected a chicken salad and sat across from him quietly. He remembered the file on her and decided to engage her in related questions.

"I saw on your file that you had been a nurse. You had completed the program early and had applied to the advanced courses to become a nurse practitioner. Do you believe that you will continue on that career path?"

He watched as the girl picked at her salad. She seemed distracted and anxious.

"I would like to. I'm just worried about being able to catch up. There's so much that I've missed. So much that has happened I'm not sure I'll be able to catch up."

Spock paused in his eating and looked up. He could almost feel her panic rolling off in waves and her eyes were wide with fear. Her hair had become frizzy and she was fidgeting.  
"What part is troubling you?"

"I guess I'm just nervous about Dr. McCoy's test tomorrow. I am way out of my element. I mean...you're the first...uh...non-human I've ever met and technology is so far advanced. In my day you check a heart by ultrasound, EKG, and a good old stethoscope. Not some thing you wave about. I just don't want to look stupid."

He raised his eyebrow in surprise. He was unsure of how to respond. He placed his fork next to his plate and thought.

"Miss Parker, I have seen your records and have noted that you overcame many obstacles and were succeeding. It is unlikely that Dr. McCoy will expect you to be able to know everything on the test. It is a test to determine your level of proficiency and where we will be able to assist you in adapting to your new environment. I have found that humans have a unique ability in being able to survive and thrive in new situations that push them. If you feel that you require assistance many of the officers on board will be willing to assist you. All you need is to ask. I, myself will assist you in the sciences or mathematics if you feel the need for help in your studies."

"Thank you. I appreciate that."

He nodded and could see Elizabeth calm down somewhat.

McCoy was sitting at his desk with his mouth hanging open. He had been very surprised about Liz's test results. He wasn't sure what he had expected but he didn't expect near perfect on physiology and anatomy on all known species, basic pass in pharmacology, toxicology, basic medical procedures, microbiology, and close passes on all other subjects. He knew she'd fail on the simulations because she had never handled the equipment but she seemed to get the basic grasp. He was even more surprised that she had stayed awake during the testing. She had come in clean and presentable but her face was so pale her eyes stood out especially with the dark rings around them. Clearly she had been up all night and he was deeply impressed. He noted her results but pulled up her medical record and added that she may have an eidetic memory. He sent her results to Jim and set up a lesson rotation before turning off the terminal before he called Liz in.

He watched her walk in and gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. He noted how she fidgeted and tried to pull her skirt lower.

"Liz. I have to say I'm impressed. You've pretty much passed everything. I'll have a list of subjects that you will want to brush up on and we'll practice procedures and simulations tomorrow. However, I don't think another all-nighter will be necessary. I think you should spend the rest of the day resting."

She nodded and was ready to leave when McCoy stood up.

"Liz, just one more question. Do you have a photographic memory?"  
"Yes."  
"I'll see you tomorrow."

She left. He leaned back in his chair and was just about to relax when he heard his office door slide open.

"Bones! How's it going with Parker?"  
Jim sauntered over perching on the corner of his desk. He looked a little smug and excited about something.  
"She's basically qualified. She somehow crammed everything within a 24 hour period. I don't know how though. She states that she has an eidetic memory. I'd say within a month she'll be as well trained as my head nurse. She's bright and driven but she does need to take it down a notch."  
"Well, I have just the thing. We'll be coming up on an uninhabited planet by tomorrow afternoon and we need to do a survey. It's M-class noted in the record as g-23. Maybe an away mission collecting specimens might help her to slow down."

Dr. McCoy sighed.

"Maybe, but I'd better tag along. This'll be her first time."  
"Bones, I never thought I'd see the day you'd volunteer for an away mission. We leave at 1300 tomorrow."

Laughing Jim clapped him on the shoulder.  
"Don't worry so much. She'll love it. You never forget your first time."  
He scowled as Jim waggled his eyebrows.  
"Dammit Jim!"

Spock was walking to the mess hall to get an early dinner as he was wanting to finish his experiments on cross breeding Terran and Vulcan grains. His mind was sufficiently occupied that he did not notice the small mass of brown curls run straight into him and bounce off. Looking down he saw a thoroughly disheveled Miss Parker and a few PADDs. She looked as occupied as he was. He bent down to collect her things and hand them to her.

"I apologize. Are you injured? My mind was occupied and I failed to notice you."  
He handed her her PADDs as she tried to compose herself. She looked pale and fatigued.  
"Miss Parker?"  
She rubbed a hand over her face pushing her hair out of the way.  
"I'm fine. I wasn't paying attention either. I was just heading to the mess hall. I'm sorry."  
"If it is agreeable I will accompany you. I am going there too."  
"Uh, sure."

He noticed the articles on biochemistry on one of her PADDs and was curious on her take of the subject.  
"May I join you? I would like to know how your first day is progressing?"  
He could see her shift and look up at him. Her mouth moving into a tired smile.

They spent the next two hours talking about neurobiochemistry, cell physiology, plant biochemistry and cross breeding. He noted that her knowledge was relatively advanced. It was intriguing. Though he noticed how tired she was she seemed energized when she was discussing the new information that she had garnered since her own time. Her curiosity rivaled Spock's own and he found her to be intellectually stimulating. He watched as her hands moved with her words. He had noticed similar movements when she had been with Uhura on the bridge yesterday. He supposed she was using her signing to emphasize her words and though he did not understand the meaning he knew that it was because she was excited.

"Liz! I thought I told you to get some rest."

Doctor McCoy sidled up to their table with his own tray clearly irritated. Spock understood the doctor's point however he was disappointed that their conversation will soon end. McCoy scowled at the young woman who smiled sweetly back at him. That seemed to irritate him more however his words were softer than his expression.

"I just need you to be at your best tomorrow. The Captain has decided to include you in an away mission to help with a planet survey."

Elizabeth's reaction was immediate. Her face lit up and she was practically bouncing in her chair.

"Really? That's fantastic! I've never been on another planet."

"Yeah, well, I'll see you tomorrow morning. I'll brief you after your lesson with Nurse Chapel. Good night."

Clearly a dismissal. It took a moment for her face to register the implication of the statement and Miss Parker stood.

"Good night Commander, Doctor."

Spock watched her leave before turning to Dr. McCoy.

"She is unusual. How has her testing gone?"

McCoy slowly turned his head. Clearly he had watched her leave too.

"Unusually well. She pretty much passed everything. I don't get it. I don't know how either. I know she spent the night and almost all day yesterday studying but she somehow got it done. She should be fully qualified within a month. I asked if she had an eidetic memory and she confirmed it but even with that she still adapted better than anyone I know would have. I do want her to slow down though. Jim thinks this away mission will help. It's a lot for her to process."

Spock took a sip of his tea thinking.

"As I have stated to Ms. Parker, I have seen humans, when under pressure, do amazing things. That they are adaptable. It is possible she is gifted or is feeling under enough pressure to where she may be absorbing data quicker in a primal attempt to survive."

McCoy frowned at Spock's statement.

"Do you think we're pushing her to adapt too quickly?"

"She was quite panicked yesterday however, she does seem to be adjusting well. Once she rests I am sure she will slow down."

McCoy laughed.

"Yeah. I'm sure. I just wish you people wouldn't push yourselves too hard. No-one listens to me. Even you hobgoblin! Don't think I didn't notice you listed for beta shift in the labs following alpha. In a way I'm glad you bumped into Liz. It forced you to relax. Maybe pulled that stick out of your-"

"Doctor. I do believe I understand your request. There is no need to finish your statement. I will retire now."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi to the fanfic readers! Oh my god! Thank you for adding me to your follow lists! Thank you especially to 2nightisthenight for the wonderful and sweet reviews! It really makes my day when I get an email with people adding me or reviewing. Any ideas as to where you want this to go are welcome. Maybe romance? Or angst? This chapter contains content that may be disturbing to some. If you want you may skip it. But in note the bad guys do get their comeuppance.**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Six

"Incoming transmission from Starfleet Headquarters, sir. From Admiral Pike. It's marked confidential."  
Uhura swiveled in her chair turning to the young captain. Her graceful hand holding her earpiece. Kirk looked up frowning. His blue eyes lighting up with curiosity. Normally Pike would not bother with private messages.

"Ok. I'll take it in the conference room." He smoothly slid off his chair and quickly made it to the conference room, smoothing down his uniform. Pike always made him a little nervous. Almost like a father would especially since he had technically inherited his predecessors ship. The Starfleet emblem flashed before the admiral's serious face filled the screen.

"Admiral?"  
"Jim, I see from your and McCoy's reports that you have inherited a guest."

The statement was not a question.

"Yes. We weren't particularly sure what to do with her. She's not from this time and Commander Spock is unable to find a way for her to return to her own time. Miss Parker seems to be adapting unusually well given the circumstances."  
"I see." Pike almost looked uneasy.

"Her experience in her time listed her as a nurse so we're allowing her to train in that capacity in the hopes that it will assist her in adapting to her new situation. Especially since we're a year out from Earth and six months into our exploration of this region. Unless you believe a detour is necessary. I've given her the enlisted rank of crewman. Once we return to earth she will be free to choose a more suitable path."  
"I agree with your statement however, I have looked over the reports your CMO. She seems to be an unusual find so I advise caution. She'll be examined in more depth on Earth. I believe her character assessments from Dr. McCoy and Cdr. Spock and I agree with your decision to keep her on board. I don't think she'd respond well to suddenly being on a space station all alone. And then trying to hitch a ride home. I think she's in a good place. Your doctor tells me that within a month she'll be able to test for her nursing license and be qualified. She'll still be a crewman level though until she completes the academy."

"Aye sir. So she can stay?"  
"Yes Jim, she can stay. Also, there's been some unusual readings from the area that you're studying. I advise caution. Some blips have been registering on our long distance probes. Just be careful."  
"Aren't I always?" Jim smirked.  
"Yeah, and pigs can fly. I'll expect regular reports regarding Miss Parker and I look forward to seeing the results from the planet survey. Pike out."

The screen showed the emblem once again before turning black. Grabbing a cup of coffee from the replicator he set to finish writing up the presentation for today's away mission.

An hour later his command team including Dr. McCoy stepped onto the conference room.  
"Gentlemen...and Lady, we have been given orders to perform a planetary survey on what has been labeled as G-23. We as of now have not detected any claims to this planet and are hopeful that it may become a new colony or mining facility for dilithium if our previous probes are correct. Cdr. Spock, your analysis?"

Kirk looked to his left. His first officer nodded his head gracefully and moved his hands quickly pulling up a holographic representation of the planet in question. It looked beautiful. Very similar to earth. Green, dotted with white at the polar caps, large amounts of blue for the oceans and many mountain ranges. It looked like the perfect place for a new federation colony.

"As you can see, this is a class m planetoid. It is the fourth planet from the sun, it's mass and size are almost equal to that of Earth. No signs of intelligent life have been detected from our more detailed scans. The mountainous region has shown moderate levels of dilithium ore approximately 2km below the surface. The planet itself does not appear to have any large predators however their presence could be being masked due to the minerals on the planets surface. The planet appears to have the standard environments typical of it's size. Tropical, temperate, desert and arctic. I believe that our first team should explore the temperate location closer to the mountains here and begin our survey."

Long fingers pointed to the northern hemisphere for emphasis. Kirk nodded in agreement. Once this location was deemed safe it would be perfect for an afternoon of shore leave for the crew. He was looking forward to stretching his legs.

"Giotto? Security procedures?"

He turned his head to his security chief. Their animosity had been long gone now he only called him Cupcake to yank his chain. He was the best and one of his most devoted.

"Sir, I believe a team of two, standard phasers for personnel to accompany the survey team."

"Dr. McCoy, you're assisting science on this. Any questions?"

He moved to look at his CMO. He was reading the report with interest.

"I think I'll need only one additional team member. I'd like to take crewman Parker with me for her to gain some experience and since Spock will probably be focused on the mineral side of things we'll focus on the flora and fauna side of things. I think this'll be the perfect opportunity for her."

Kirk smiled. He knew his people alway loved the adventure. This is what they lived for. They were the first people here. He saw them starting to get up when he remembered what Admiral Pike had said.

"Hold on, I was told by Admiral Pike that this area of space had been having unusual "blips" noticed by the exploratory probes sent out earlier. Ensign Chekov and Sulu, I want you to keep an eye out while we're on the surface. Uhura, please be sure to keep a lock on all parties while we're on the surface. Doctor, commander, Giotto, security and Parker. We'll meet in transporter room one at 1300 hours. Please remember that this is also a chance to relax and do what the federation was established for. Exploration. Thank you and dismissed."

He couldn't help but smile as his team left the ready room. Even two years into his five year mission he still couldn't believe his luck. He had the best.

McCoy left the briefing smiling. He had seen Liz's work this morning training with Chapel and was impressed at the progress she had made. He had also had Chapel teaching her away mission protocols in anticipation of this mission. She was amazing.

Stepping into sickbay he saw Chapel instruction the young girl in the dermal regenerator reaping a small burn to an engineering ensign's hand. He could see that the rest had done her well. He uniform was spotless, her hair piled into a reasonably neat bun curls still falling out. She was smiling and reassuring the young an as she worked while Chapel, ever protective supervised and assisted, her words too quiet for him to hear. He watched their hand carefully wrap the young mans to protect the new skin and Chapel carefully handed Liz a hypospray pointing to the location it needed to be dispensed. Her head eagerly bobbed and he could see how gently she placed it on the neck. Almost as if she was afraid but it was textbook perfect. He decided to stop spying and moved over to greet them.

"Hello Ensign Sanchez. I see you've managed to swing a visit today."

The Ensign almost jumped out of his seat. Maybe he was a little too rough on the engineering team but dammit, they were his frequent flyers.

"Y-yes sir. The nurses have fixed me right up sir." His face was flushed with embarrassment. He fidgeted under his gaze.

"It looks like it. Just remember to be careful with that hand for the next 24 hours. We'll see you tomorrow for a wound check. Try not to let it happen again." He smiled to attempt to reassure the young man but it almost seemed to make him more uneasy.

"Aye sir. Thank you ma'ams." Sanchez quickly left almost as if he expected to be chased with another shot.

"What's his deal?" He asked pointed after the retreating figure. Much to his charign Chapel burst out laughing holding her stomach. Her hair falling into her face. Once she composed herself, though her face was still flushed and her eyes still bright with laughter she was able to answer.

"Because, the last time he came in here with a burn you promised to let it heal naturally and to hypo some sense into him to be more careful. He wasn't sure if you were serious."

McCoy just rolled his eyes and grumbled. Parker just looked from one to the other unsure.

"I'm a doctor, not a babysitter. He comes in with more burns than a Horta!" That brought his nurses, both of them to tears with laughter again. It was nice to see Parker as a part of his team.

"Ok ladies, we're going to be doing a planet survey today in about an hour. I was thinking since it's a pretty tame one Crewman Parker could assist. If that's ok Chris?"  
He looked to her to confirm. She nodded enthusiastically. He had been a little nervous she would protest because of her seniority but she seemed to like the idea.

"Sounds like a great learning experience. I'll grab the first aid kit and science kit for her. I've been meaning to get caught up on all my paperwork and this'll give me that chance."

She rushed off, blonde hair bouncing to the store room leaving just Liz and him. Her smile was radiant lighting up the whole room and forcing him to return it with one of his own.

"This is awesome! How will we be getting down there? I've never been anywhere but Earth." She was almost breathless with excitement.

"Nurse Chapel has been showing me all the things I'd need to do while there. You knew? Thank you." She was bouncing with excitement, her hair pulling loose of it's ties making her look like a child who'd had too much candy. He put his hand on her arm to still her movements.

"We'll be heading down by transporter and yes, the captain told me last night. You'll be assisting Spock and me with collecting samples and analyzing them. That includes water, plant life and small insects for now. I'll see you in transporter room one."

Her face fell at the word transporter. He could understand why. He hated them himself but he didn't want to let her know.

"Transporters are perfectly safe. Think of it as an adventure. I'll need to grab my kit too. I'll see you there." Though she bit her lip in anxiety she still nodded and tried to smile. He made a mental note to keep a close eye on her.

They arrived on the transporter room on time, Parker clutching her tricorder and bag with an anxious look on her face. McCoy saw her looking at the pad skeptically before slowly stepping on between him and Spock. The team consisted of Kirk, Spock, Liz, Giotto, a new security lieutenant Sampson and himself. He could see her tense up when the order to energize was issued.

He looked over to see her comically feeling herself over.

"I assure you Crewman, it is unlikely that you are not whole." Spock's sentence brought laughter to the group. Even Liz was smiling.

"You'll forgive me for checking." Quipped Parker. Spock simply raised an eyebrow and quickly pulled out his tricorder.

Where they landed was beautiful. The sky was an azure blue, few clouds in the sky. A golden field of yellow flowers stretched out in front of them up to purple mountains with white snow caps. To their left was the beginnings of a line of trees, similar to evergreens but the color was more mauve than green. That was the main clue that they weren't on Earth.

"It's beautiful!" Liz exclaimed. McCoy moved closer to her as she took a deep breath, her eyes looking everywhere at once gripping her tricorder so tight her knuckles were turning white. He watched her quickly flip it open moving automatically to the flowers at her feet. After helping her scan he pulled out a specimen tube holding it open for her to place a bright yellow flower inside. The other teams had moved off leaving them alone.

"So, what do you think?"

"This plant is similar to the oxalis pes-caprae, actinomorphic with a calyx of five slightly fused sepals, a sympetalous corolla of five fused petals..."

Before she could finish he stopped her.

"I mean't about the planet. I know it's like a buttercup. Relax for a minute. We'll get the full analysis when we take it back to the Enterprise."

She blushed and quickly noted a few things on her PADD.

"Sorry. I tend to turn into a geek when I see something new. It's just so amazing seeing this." She looked to him and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest as she blew a few errant strands of her curls out of her face. She rolled her eyes at his dumbfounded expression and giggled as she turned her attention to the grass next to her. Her laugh was so quiet he barely heard it but it made him have to swallow before he turned back to assisting her.

They had moved closer to the tree line and were sampling the bark and leaves when Parker looked up. She heard a twig snap. Instinctively she knew it wasn't one of the Enterprise people. They would have announced their presence. Her body stiffened and her pulse raced in her ears.

"Doctor, I don't think we're alone." She hissed. McCoy stiffened and stood looking around. She could feel panic threatening to overtake her. Looking toward McCoy she saw him. Huge, dark skin and a strange bumpy forehead. He had his arm raised.

"DOCTOR!" She pointed to behind him but with a resounding crack the man struck him down. She ran forward her fists raised ready to attack but was yanked back off her feet by another such creature. Kicking she tried to fight back only to hear mocking laughter. Her feet were swiftly kicked out from her and she landed face down on the ground. Her arms and ankles were tied with a rough rope and she felt him lean into her the smell of earth in her face.

"I like you. Your spirit. Make one sound and I'll kill him."

She whimpered softly turning her face to Bones. Seeing his chest slowly rise and fall she nodded. Before she could do anything else she felt herself being thrown over the being's shoulders like a sack of potatoes. He was so tall. She remembered that these were Klingons from the books she had read. She didn't understand why they hadn't come up on her scans. On any scans. Bouncing on his shoulder she saw him walking to a cave. They had to have been inside when they had run the initial scans and something had to be blocking them.

Her throat was in her chest and she started struggling once they had moved down a series of tunnels. It was so dark and she couldn't see well enough at this angle to make a map in her mind. After what seemed like hours they arrived in a cavern with another adjoining it through a small corridor. It was here he tossed her down onto a type of animal skin. The jolt to her arms and body forced her to cry out but her eyes blazed with anger. She was so scared but so damn angry. She hadn't felt this helpless in a long time.

Both Klingons smiled at her, their hair wild and teeth so sharp. They looked like wild animals, predators and she was the prey.

"I'm Koroc and this is Karr. What are you doing on our planet human?"

They practically growled at her.

"I wasn't aware a claim was here. If you would like, you can call my ship and ask them." She smiled back sweetly though her tone was anything but.

"She has bite. I though all human females were weak." The smaller one called Karr laughed. His voice booming off the cavern walls.  
"I think not. We've been surveying this planet for a week and are claiming it and all that is on it for the Empire."

His gaze settled on her, his smile managing to show every sharp white tooth making her shudder and struggle against the ropes in instinct. His "friend" moved to the other cavern laughing. Liz could feel the bile threatening to come up as he moved closer to her bringing out a knife. His weight resting against her he pulled her hair causing her to be lifted up where he cut her bonds. She immediately moved to push him off only to have her arms grabbed.

"I don't think so." He growled in her ear so close she was forced to turn away. He took a long breath at her neck making her shudder. She let her arms fall limp as his weight effectively pinned her against the floor. His hands released her arms and moved lower to her legs. She felt his hands roughly moving upward. She couldn't let this happen. Not again. Looking down at the beast she could see a type of weapon. He was so focused on touching her he didn't notice her hands slowly moving down.

"Hey..."

"What human?"

She smiled at him her eyebrows drawn together.

"I got your gun."

Immediately she started firing causing him to fall on her.

"You bastard!" Her adrenaline was pumping. She felt shaky and was trying to shove him off when she felt a knife to her throat. Immediately she froze. She hadn't realized how much noise she had been making but it must have been enough to summon the other.

"Impressive. I had been thinking of getting rid of Karr for a while to take his place. It seems you have done this for me. I think I'll keep you when this is over."

She felt disgust. This Koroc was one twisted puppy. His eyes were narrow and calculating as he watched her. He threw the man off her keeping the knife at her throat forcing her to release the gun. He quickly grabbed her by the throat pushing her against the wall.

"There are few who could kill a Klingon. I admire your strength." Before she knew what was happening she felt intense pain on her face. He bit her. He actually freaking bit her! For a moment she forgot that he had a knife and started kicking again. He backhanded her sending her sprawling to the floor landing on her left arm snapping it leaving her dazed. She couldn't move. She vaguely felt him dragging her to the adjoining cavern onto another mat. Her body betraying her by not responding. He used his knife skillfully cutting away her tunic leaving her pale and naked under him. She shuddered but her mind was elsewhere. Remembering another time. Her head turned away she offered little resistance as he did to her what he wanted. All she felt was pain.

In her haze she saw he had abandoned the knife next to her right hand. Whimpering as the assault continued she remained as still as possible slowly moving her hand to her goal. She felt her fingers close around it as the huge man let out a roar signifying the end. It was now or never. With a roar of her own she plunged the knife in his neck. His hand went up. And she wasn't stopping. She pulled the serrated blade out before he could grab it an plunged it into his chest as he rolled off her. Again and again she stabbed. Violet blood pouring everywhere. She stabbed him everywhere, over and over in her anger. She couldn't stop until she was sure.

When she heard a rattle from his mouth she knew he was down. She was covered in his blood and hers. The knife still in her hand she was trembling. There was a small fire in the room but she was cold not just from the temperature but inside as well. Her clothes were in pieces on the floor. Her mind was numb. Shaking she moved to the farthest wall and brought her knees up still holding the knife pointing it at Koroc as if he was going to attack again. There were no tears, her breathing was shallow. She just sat there waiting and shaking. She had promised herself long ago that something like this would never happen again but it had.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi fanfictioners, I hope the last chapter wasn't too graphic and hasn't upset anyone. If so I'm sorry however, I am glad she got to kill them. If it was too much let me know and I can adapt it to be a little less offensive. As anyone knows away missions are always messed up and I figured I'd use Klingons since people have been using Romulans a lot. This next chapter will deal with the aftermath. Including these men's buddies. Thank you to all of the kind people reviewing. Any ideas? I'm kind of meandering along. I just hope it's good enough. Thank you for reading and reviewing and adding me to your lists. It truly is an honor for me and inspires me to continue.**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Seven

Kirk was helping Spock with filling a sample container with some scrapings from a boulder when he heard his communicator whistle. He looked up to Spock rolling his eyes. He had known it was too good to be true. He had been hoping to enjoy the scenery for a little longer before being reminded by technology. Stepping away he flipped open his communicator.

"Kirk here." He smiled at Spock who had paused in his collecting to listen in.

"Captain, this is Lt. Uhura. We seem to have lost Crewman Parker's signal and Doctor McCoy is not responding." Panic seized him.

"Can you get a fix on his signal?"

"Yes sir. He's approximately 1km due east of your location. Near the tree line." Kirk grabbed his phaser and together he and Spock began moving in the indicated direction.

"Get Sampson and Giotto to meet us there."  
"Aye sir."

He flipped his communicator closed jogging to the tree line seeing his security team coming up behind him. He could hear Spock's heavy footfalls close by. It was a good five minutes before he saw a flash of blue. His anger at himself for missing crewman weighed heavily. He couldn't help but feel responsible. He saw McCoy slowly pulling himself up, the side of his head sporting a fist sized bruise blood slowly dripping but mostly dried. He sped up concerned for his friend.

"Bones!"

Security fanned out phasers out searching while Spock started scanning. He kneeled to help his grumbling friend into a sitting position.

"What happened? Where is she?"

He noticed his eyes were slightly glassy but quickly focused as he looked around his surrounding.

"It was Klingons. They were hiding in the woods. I saw one sneaking up behind her and I guess one was behind me too. That's all I remember. They must have her. Oh, God!"

He started to get up holding his head with Jim's help. The blips made sense now. It had to have been a cloaking device. Pulling out his communicator he commed the ship.

"Kirk to Enterprise. We have company. There are Klingons on the surface and possibly a ship in orbit. Go to yellow alert and increase scanning. We're going to attempt to locate Crewman Parker. Kirk out."

He slammed it shut. His hands were shaking with rage. One hand still on McCoy he turned to Spock.

"Commander, options?" Spock was calibrating his tricorder and had a frown on his face.

"Spock?" A little more impatient.

"I do not see her life signs on the surface however there are limited readings coming from the caves further into the forest. Unless they transported her I believe we will find her there."

"Let's go. Bones?" He grabbed his phaser and looked to his friend.

"I'm fine. Let's go get her." He saw him grab the first aid kit and could see the determination in his eyes. Each step through the forest he felt his anger build. He heard the trilling of Spock's tricorder and the footsteps of the rest of his team. They quickly reached the entrance to the caves. Spock smoothly stepped in front scanning.

"We can only get a reading about 5 meters ahead at a time. It appears that there is a network of caverns. This may take some time. Fortunately our way is lighted by fluorescent stones embedded into the rock wall."

Kirk nodded tersely. His muscles coiled ready to attack. His hands had stopped shaking and his phaser steady.

"Giotto. You and I will take point. McCoy, you're in the middle and Spock, you and Sampson take up the rear. Remember what we've been taught at the academy about Klingons. They're strong and have no fear of dying. They will not be taken alive willingly. Our priority is to get Liz out of here alive, not revenge. Understood?" Though a little revenge would feel good.

"Aye sir." They chorused. After two hours, three dead ends they finally saw the flickering of a fire. Very difference from the white glow of the caves. Carefully, phasers drawn Kirk and Giotto quietly crept forward only to be met with a Klingon lying on the ground. A hole burnt in his abdomen blood pooled in the center. The silence was deafening. Kirk could see a type of passage, fire flickering orange from what appeared to be another cavern. Quickly they pressed themselves against the wall. He put a finger to his lips and counted down.

He got to zero when they leaped into the cavern phasers drawn. The sight was horrifying to say the least. Immediately they lowered their weapons. There wasn't much point. There was blood everywhere. On the walls, the floor, everywhere. There was another dead Klingon on the ground. Clearly he had been stabbed at least 20 times. Kirk peeled his eyes from the sight. He saw strips of blue fabric and boots on the ground. His heart was pounding in his throat and he felt sick. He saw a trail of blood leading to a darkened corner of the cave. Fearing the worst he slowly moved signaling McCoy to follow. He could see how pale his friend was, eyes wide and fearful.

They saw her. Naked, trembling and bleeding. Liz was huddled back to the rock pointing the Klingon's knife in their direction. Her eyes were wide and blank. She had cuts and bruises everywhere. Her left arm was at a strange angle and her right eye was swollen shut. She had a bite mark on her cheek under the swelling. She stared at them unseeing, frozen.

"Oh, God!"

Kirk and Bones moved close slowly, hands up as if to a frightened animal. She didn't even move. She stopped shaking. He knew that was a bad sign.

"Liz? We're here to help you. Can you hear us." No response. No acknowledgement of any kind. He didn't want to overwhelm her. He stayed put while Dr. McCoy slowly made his way over.

"Hey, it's ok." Slowly he moved his hand towards the knife. She still did not move. Jim was getting more frightened and angry. She was catatonic. He watched as the doctor slowly took the knife from her.

"Jim, I need a blanket or something to cover her. She's going into shock."

He turned back to the girl slowly opening his case. Her head slowly turned to watch him. He exaggerated his movement so he wouldn't surprise her. Kirk knew he could whip out equipment fast but he was going slow for her. Slowly Jim moved and grabbed one of the furs under the pile. One that didn't have her blood on it and handed it to McCoy. He could see him slowly wrap it around her and with a sleight of hand he hit her with a hypospray. She slowly slumped forward into his arms. Kirk quickly moved over to help him wrap her up while Bones started scanning.

He heard movement behind him and tensed quickly turning phaser in hand. Spock quickly put up in hands.

"Sorry Spock. I guess I'm a little jumpy."

Though the Vulcan showed no emotion Kirk could see the turmoil and pain in his eyes. His voice remained steady.

"I believe that these are the only two on the surface. The equipment appears to only be adequate for two men. I surmise they were a scouting party and their ship is in orbit. I recommend haste with returning to the Enterprise."

Kirk slowly nodded and looked to the battered girl.

"Bones?"  
"She's stable for transport."

Kirk moved to pick her up. She was feather light. Moving out of the caverns into the daylight her visible injuries were even more horrifying. He shifted her weight pulling out his communicator.

"Kirk to Enterprise, six to beam up. Please clear the corridor from the transporter room to sickbay and have a medical team standing by."  
"Yes captain."

He felt the familiar tingle of transport and quickly he was home. Looking off the pad he saw a stretcher waiting, Nurse Chapel and the assistant CMO Dr. M'Benga waiting. Both had their professional masks firmly in place effectively hiding their shock. He gently placed Liz on the stretcher.

"Take care of her, Bones."

Quickly, Kirk and Spock moved to the bridge. The walk seemed to take forever. His shoulders were in knots. Finally, arriving at the bridge.

"Shields up. Red alert! Do we have a fix on that Klingon vessel?"

Chekov quickly turned his head.

"No sair. We have been scanning and have not detected a thing."

He slowly lowered himself into his chair. He could feel that he was close.

"Lieutenant, open hailing frequencies. Wide band and all channels."

He looked back to see her slim hands dialing at the controls. He tapped his hand waiting. Her normally smooth face filled with a scowl. She nodded to him letting him know the line was open.

"Klingon vessel, this is Captain James T. Kirk of the Federation Starship Enterprise. You are in Federation space which in and of itself is a violation of our treaty. Two of your men on the surface have also assaulted and attempted to murder a member of my crew. I advise you to leave this space without confrontation. Any attack from you will now be considered an act of war."

He turned o his communications officer and was ready to cut the line when...

"Kirk! The hero of the Narada incident. I do not seek battle with you. Who killed my men?"

Jim's eyebrows went up in surprise.

"Believe it or not, the female crew member they attacked."

"Those men were p'tachs without honor. We saw the caves. Their souls will only make it to the barge of the dead for their dishonor. Qapla Kirk."

The transmission quickly ended leaving a stunned Kirk in it's wake. He looked to the view screen as a Klingon bird of prey materialized and warped away from them. He turned to Spock who was similarly looking stunned.

"I believe they are leaving. Fascinating."

"A nice Klingon? That's gotta be one for the records. Uhura, I'm heading down to sickbay to check on Parker's status. Spock you have the bridge."

He almost made it to the turbo lift when her voice rang out.

"Sir, please send her our well wishes."

He just nodded.

McCoy shrugged off Nurse Chapel moving to Liz who was currently laying on a biobed hovered over by Dr. M'Benga. Currently he pulled the bone knitter out and was repairing her ribs while that was going he was also setting her left arm and wrist. His other nurse Jenni Baker was administering hypos with pain relievers, sedatives, antibiotics, contraceptives, blood coagulants, the whole nine yards. Her red hair covering her face as she was working but he could see tears falling as the screen in front of her showed her the extensive damage. McCoy shoved up next to M'Benga to see the damage. His heart was in his throat. He was sure they could fix the extensive physical but he didn't know how they could piece her back mentally. He remembered the blank look in her eyes. She had been all alone.

"Dr. McCoy, I've got this. I'll forward the results to your desk. I think you've had enough for today. She'll be asleep until tomorrow. Get some rest yourself."

McCoy couldn't even fight this. He was too compromised seeing the degree of damage. He slowly ambled to his office. He felt numb. He felt like it was his fault. He had barely made it to his office when he just couldn't walk anymore. He was beyond angry.

"AARRGH!" His fist slammed into the wall. His breath coming in short bursts. He could feel the blood trickling down falling in bright droplets onto the floor.

"Doctor!" Chapel ran up to him looking appalled and angry.

"I'm sorry." He grimaced in his apology.

"What the hell? I know you're upset and angry but that bulkhead didn't do anything to that girl and it wasn't your fault. Get over on the bed and let's make sure you didn't break your hand."

He made his way to the bed numbly while she patched up his hand. He heard vague words like bruised and lucky but he just stared at Liz laying so still a couple of beds down.

"Bones?" His head slowly moved up to meet the sad blue eyes of Jim Kirk.

"I'll be with you in a minute." He scowled at Chapel who simply smirked.

"He would have been able to see you sooner Captain but he decided a bulkhead needed to be punished." Grumbling he moved to his office and closed the door after Jim walked in.

"How is she?"

He sat heavily behind his desk pulling out a bottle of Saurian Brandy and two snifters. Sighing he poured each two fingers worth.

"Dr. M'Benga is handling her physical treatment and staying with her tonight. She was severely injured. Vaginal tearing, he broke her left arm, 7 broken ribs, slight fracture to the pelvis, broken right maxillary bone, concussion, multiple cuts all over and a deep bite to the right cheek. That's not including her emotional state. We'll know tomorrow."

He took his brandy in a shot, letting the heat slide down his throat feeling the warmth spread once it hit his stomach. He quickly poured another.

"Jesus. I don't know how how she fought those Klingons off when she was do hurt. She's tough. She'll pull through."

"I hope so Jim."

"Gentlemen. It is 0500 and you have yet to return to your quarters."

Jerking up McCoy instantly regretted it. His neck and head was pounding. He looked up with one of his scariest scowls he could pull. Spock merely tilted his head.

"Doctor, I am not afraid of you. Even in this state. You falling asleep at your desk with Miss Parker's vitals on your computer even though she is adequately cared for by your associate only shows your compassion and caring."

"That doesn't mean I won't bite your head off without coffee hobgoblin!" He retorted. Spock simply pointed to his desk where two steaming cups of black coffee was waiting and left.

"Well I'll be damned!" Kirk yawned stretching.

"I told you he cared."

He grumbled sipping the scalding liquid but couldn't help smiling.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi To the Readers! I just want to say Thank you for sticking with me and my OC. Thank you for all the kind reviews and again thank you for adding me to your lists. I can only hope that this story continues to live up to expectations.**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Eight

Awareness was slowly returning and with it pain. Her whole body hurt. She couldn't open her eyes. Even that small action was just too much for her. She could hear a voice next to her but in her muddled pain filled thoughts she couldn't make out who it was. Suddenly, she felt a hiss and sting on her neck near her shoulder. It was all she could take. Her arm snapped out wrapping the intruding arm in hers and she twisted pulling her right arm back and striking with all her strength at the offender's face feeling the crunch of bone under her hand.

"Goddamit!"

Her eyes flew open. Her pain dissipating quickly and she saw the doctor on the floor gripping his face blood streaming from his hands. Though the drug he had injected started to creat a pleasant haze she felt a panic. She looked around seeing that she was no longer in the cave but in a private room in the sickbay. Quickly, she moved to the injured doctor.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry. I didn't realize."

He didn't speak for a moment looking at her through rapidly blackening eyes. He moved to grab a towel from the cupboard quickly wiping his face and turned to her. Her initial adrenalin was quickly wearing off and the pain killer was quickly taking affect. Her head started to spin and her knees felt weak. She still hurt badly but the medication somehow made it to where it was at the back of her mind to where she didn't care.

"I'll heal. Let's get you back in bed Liz."

He quickly lifted her back onto the biobed settling a blanket over her before pulling out a medical tricorder and scanning her. She just felt tired and turned her head away and stared before falling asleep to the strangely soothing hum of the scanner.

McCoy waited for Liz to fall asleep before stepping out of her room. He walked over to Chapel who was filling in her reports from this morning's sick call. She seemed to hear him approach and turned, her eyes widening when she saw the state of him.

"Oh my god! What happened?" She pulled out her own medical tricorder before he could explain.

"Liz has one Hell of a right hook."

"I'll say. Fortunately for you it's just a slight fracture. Not a full break. I know doctors and nurses make the worst patients but this one is for the record books." She smiled grimly knowing full well how and why the doctor had wound up injured.

Once his nose was healed and the bruises well on their way to heal he quickly set to his paperwork sighing, only leaving when there were patients for him to attend to. He mainly was waiting for her to wake again.

This time she felt herself slowly waking. She remembered she was safe. On the Enterprise. She almost felt like she was floating. She didn't want to wake up. She was perfectly happy in this medium however, life wouldn't wait. Slowly she pulled herself up sitting and looked around. She couldn't see anyone. She felt a pull on her arm. _Well that was new._ She quickly pulled the IV out of her arm. She didn't like sickbay from this perspective. She didn't like it when someone could walk in on her unannounced. Looking around she stood up and limped to the door. Seeing McCoy busy treating another patient she slipped out.

She just needed to be alone. Skirting the hallways carefully partly due to her pain and partly to avoid anyone seeing her she quickly made it to her quarters. She locked the doors and sat on the floor and just cried. This was private. She didn't want to be someone's test tube being evaluated and poked and prodded. She'd done it all before.

She'd been treating a young man, John Thompson was his name, when he'd starting fixating on her. He'd only come in to the clinic at the ER for a flu shot and he'd started following her, sending her notes, calling her home. After a month he'd started to become threatening and she'd had enough and filed for a restraining order. The day he'd been served he lost it. He'd attacked her after work finishing by stabbing her in the side. Through her testimony he'd been put away for a long time but it had taken her a long time to get over it. She'd done the whole therapy route. It never helped. Every time she saw the scar it reminded her. What helped was time alone. She wasn't sure they'd let her. She really appreciated their care but she didn't want or need it right now.

She wasn't sure how long she had been crying but she was exhausted. Her pain meds had worn off and she was in agony. She slowly dragged herself off the floor and went to the bathroom to clean up and went to bed. She was sure she had a long way to go but she knew her mind and body was slowly healing. It would just take a while.

Waking up again she felt her pain was gone. Again she felt floaty. God she hated meds. She turned to see a now familiar scowl next to her and she could feel a tug at her arm again. She knew the IV was back in.

"Dammit Doctor, take a damn hint." She scowled at him in return.

"I don't take well to my patients running off."

Rolling her eyes she grimaced a smile.

"I'm fine. I just wanted a little time alone. I'm...sorry about earlier. I didn't realize."

He wasn't as dumb as she was hoping. He shook his head.

"Nah uh. I'll give you the privacy of your quarters but I will be in every other hour during alpha and beta, M'Benga gamma and delta and a nurse will be in once an hour to check you. I will want to be able to talk to you about what happened."

She considered his "deal". It was a little better than expected but she still didn't want to bare her soul and have people in her space. As if reading her thoughts he sweetened the deal.

"Look, I understand your desire for privacy and I'll let you hold the reins on the counseling session however, it still will be up to me when I feel that you are ready for duty. I will also keep visitors to a minimum and what happened on the planet private. No-one but who found you and who treated you will know the truth."

She could live with that. It was better than she'd hoped for. His voice held concern and was gruff but soft.

"Ok. But can you lower the dose of the diamorphine? I'm in pain but not that much. I'd like to be able to control my level of awareness."

He frowned.

"It's at the standard therapeutic level for pain management. Your blood pressure spikes hen your body reacts to pain. I'll see about lowering it tomorrow. When your body is in pain it takes longer to heal."

"Ok. I'll trust your judgement. What's with the IV?"

"Standard antibiotics, fluids to keep your electrolyte and sugar levels steady."

She nodded in understanding.

"I'm sorry I walked out AMA. I just needed to be alone for a bit. I wanted to be able to cry, alone. I...needed it. I didn't want anyone to see. You know?" Her vision began to blur again. This time with tears.

"I know Liz."

He slowly placed his arms around her in a gentle hug. Her head on his chest she could hear his heart and she relaxed in his warm hold. Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe she did need them. She pulled back feeling better than when she had had her cry. He cared about her and respected her and that made her hurt a little less.

"Thank you."

After a week she was going stir crazy. She'd done all required of her and she was moving around fairly well. Bones had kept his part of the bargain in keeping visitors out but she was ready to face the world again. Enough was enough. There was overprotective and then there was a mother hen. Bones was a devilish mixture of both. After all, she'd been a good patient, staying in bed and everything. Her energy levels were through the roof. Thankfully her medical visits were now once every four hours with a doctor and nurse. She waited until after her morning visit and gave it ten minutes before pulling on a pair of black wide leg slacks and a green tank top with her black ballet flats. Pulling her hair back she decided to have breakfast. In the mess. With people. She could only read and eat the bland medical diet for so long. She needed bacon and a huge stack of pancakes.

Finally arriving in the mess she went to the replicator and grabbed her contraband smirking the whole way to the table. It was better than she remembered. True bliss! She closed her eyes savoring the taste.

"I heard about your breakout and I know you're still supposed to be resting Parker."

Coughing and sputtering her head flipped around.

"Whoa! You ok? Hey, I know how Bones is. I'm not gonna tell but he'll figure it out. See...you have to wipe the log." Kirk plopped down next to her smiling. Even his bright blue eyes were smiling. It was infectious and she couldn't help but reciprocate.

"Could you help a girl out?" She replied.

"Well, see Bones is my friend..." She punched him in the arm.

"Ok. Ok. I will but only because you asked so nicely." Rubbing his arm he quickly typed something on a PADD he had brought with him and looked up smiling. Damn he was funny.

"Just don't say a word. He knows where I live." He quipped.

She couldn't help but laugh. Damn his charm. He soon turned serious and she could feel the tension rising. It was thick enough that she would need a damn steak knife to cut through.

"How are you? Really?"

"I'm fine." Shrugging she picked at her food. She knew it was gonna come up sooner or later. She'd been hoping for later. He frowned at her with a knowing look.

"Really. I wasn't at first and I'm still struggling a little but I'll be fine. However, I think some defense classes would help. I think it'd make me feel a little better. And I was wondering if I could alter my uniform a bit."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise but he waited patiently. She reached for his PADD opening a new file pulling out the stylus and sketched what she was hoping for. It showed the uniform top cut similar to the short skirt style but with a little more room and only going about halfway to the hips with a pair of form fitting black boot cut pants. Kirk looked impressed.

"You know, you may start a revolution. I think Uhura may forward the design and try and get it standard. I'll miss the skirts though." He waggled his eyebrows at her earning another punch to the arm.

"You know, that's assault to a superior officer." He almost did it. The puppy dog eyes, the hand still on his upper arm. She threw back her head and laughed. It felt good. They finished their breakfast together and chatted amiably about absolutely nothing. She had found out that they had finished the survey a day ago. The federation was excited to set up a farming colony south of the mountain ranges and a mining colony as well. The planet was relatively rich in dilithium and other metals needed. She was telling him about some of the bad science fiction movies she'd watched, B-movies when she looked up at the clock.

"Oh damn! Gotta run! Don't tell McCoy." She didn't even look for his response as she raced back towards her quarters. She knew it took 10 minutes easy to get there, what with the turbolift traffic and McCoy was due there for her check-up in 15.

"Damn damn damn." Her hips were aching as she impatiently tapped her foot waiting for the lift. It's like he knew to give her just enough to keep her under his watch. He was worse than her mother had been. It was sweet he worried but hell, she was doing ok.

She made it back with only 2 minutes to spare. She didn't even have time to pull on her pajamas. She carefully sat on the bed as her hips now felt like someone was sticking hot pokers into them and pulled her PADD that was on her nightstand in front of her as her door swooshed open revealing McCoy. Feigning a look of innocence she smiled.

"Hi Liz. How're you feeling." As if she could answer when he was already waving his tricorder over her.

"Fine. I was thinking of taking a walk today. I'd like to get moving again. Maybe do a little work out?" She smiled at him blinking her eyes and tilting her head. Yeah. Didn't work.

"Humph...I see you've already done that and had a slightly different breakfast to what I prescribed. You know. That's weird because..." He pulled out a PADD typing. "I don't see here that you've ordered anything today."

Rolling her eyes she giggled a little.

"Ok. I did sneak out but I needed a walk. And real food. That bland oatmeal with supplements added can only be tolerated do long. You were a mother in a past life weren't you?"

He laughed putting down his equipment and reaching into his bag.

"Seriously? Do you have a thing for..." He pulled out a pill bottle with standard over the counter pain blockers.

"Paranoid much?" She took the small bottle wary.

"Well...a little. Does this mean I'm finally free?"

"A little bit. I'll check on you once maybe twice a day and I think in about a week you might be ready for light duty." She hugged him in relief and gratitude. Her heart felt lighter than it had. Between these two she felt sane.

His voice was muffled from his face still buried in her hair but she still made out the words and giggled into his shoulder.

"I think Jim is due for his vaccinations."

Commander Spock walked down the corridor intending to meditate on the observation deck. Since the experience on the planet he had been uneasy. Uhura had explained it had been due to worry and that the sight had been disturbing to say the least. She had explained that what he was experiencing was normal, even for him and to give it time. He had wanted to visit Elizabeth but his way had been barred by the doctor wanting to minimize her stress and to ease her back into their little community. He was passing the gym area when his ears picked up the sound of grunting and an almost frantic unrhythmic pounding. He paused. It was well into gamma shift and most crew members should be resting.

He walked to the entrance and froze. Miss Parker was covered in sweat kicking and hitting the large punching bag. Her form was still adequate however the strength behind it had clearly dissipated a good while ago. There were tears in her eyes and only half of her hair was still in it's tie. Her body still held the healing cuts and bruises from her ordeal. He ascertained that she was unaware of his presence and he had no desire to frighten or upset her so he slowly moved forward to be able to be visible to her. He noticed the tempo of her assault on the bag increased before she suddenly slumped letting one angry sob break through before steadying her breathing. He walked over to the benches and retrieved a towel holding it in front of her.

Her surprise was evident as she cried out and started.

"Dammit. Oh my god." She started wiping her face it turning redder than what was due to her exertion.

"Did I disturb you Mr. Spock?"

"Negative. I was curious as to who would be in the gym at this late hour. However, I am relieved to see you are relatively well. I do not believe Dr. McCoy would approve of this level of exercise though."

"Yeah well, what he don't know won't hurt him."

He noticed her standing up rather stiffly and almost moved forward to assist her but he stopped himself. He could see she was struggling to reassert her control over her emotions and he did not particularly wish to unintentionally feel them accidentally through physical contact.

"Your form was impressive however it was erratic. I could assist you in showing you some self defense moves effective against most species." She smiled a sad knowing smile and her features dulled somewhat. He had been hesitant to broach he subject but he decided to propel forward.

"I apologize for what happened." He moved forward as she turned away. He heard her take a deep breath clearly collecting herself. Her mother had done it many times when frustrated with him or his father. He waited for her to turn around when she slowly walked to the exit. He noticed her movements were 34.6% slower than average and he moved to follow. He was sure to make noise so that he would not frighten Elizabeth.

She paused in her walking allowing him to catch up and her face turned up to his.

"It wasn't anyone's fault but those men's. Poor Dr. McCoy even felt guilty when he had no control over the situation either. I'm ok Spock."

"Allow me to walk you to your quarters." It wasn't a request and he was pleased to note she didn't argue.

"Lt. Giotto is giving me self defense lessons including weaponry. It's helping me feel secure again. Thank you for your earlier offer. How's Nyota?"

Almost startled at the sudden change of subject it took him a moment to adapt.

"She is well. She is concerned about your well being. The doctor has been most efficient at deflecting crew members from visitation."

"He's only doing it to be protective. It's sweet but at this point wholly unnecessary. The both of you should stop by."

He knew Uhura would be pleased and want to visit soon. He was looking forward to deliver the news to her. When she was happy he felt at peace. He nodded contemplating the past week and a half. Things had been tense between Nyota and him since the incident on the planet. She was most upset when he had been limiting his visits. She had not understood at first but she came to realize that he needed to do something. She had walked into his quarters and saw what he had been working on. It was a draft report to Starfleet detailing the account and recommending new security standards on all away missions. He had been working on acceptable strategies for days. Uhura had simply thought he had been shutting her out. He had simply been trying to ensure this incident never happened again. He could not bear it if he lost Uhura or if it had happened to her. He had been disturbed enough with it happening to Elizabeth.

"I believe she will appreciate the invitation. I look forward to seeing you at work soon as well. Sleep well."

"Good night."

He moved away pleased and once more headed to the observation deck his mind more at ease than it had been in 11days.

**AN:**

**I have to say, thank you again to everyone who is taking the time to read. It makes my day when I get one of those emails telling me I have a follower or a comment. Please feel free to message me or let me know any ideas you may see in writing. I'm not the best writer. I'm winging it! ;) **

**Tishbing**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi Fanfictioners! I haven't heard any plot ideas from you guys so I guess so far it's ok. I hope so! Reviews are always well received**.

Tishbing

Chapter Nine

McCoy could feel the tension in the air. Not a soul said a word as they sped towards the neutral zone. He could see Spock standing ramrod straight, brow slightly furled. Kirk sitting on the edge of his chair leaning forward as if he could will the ship forward faster. Relations with the Romulan Empire had been fraught with complications since Nero. This was just another incident proving how bad things were. It had been an hour since they had received the distress signal. The USS Reliant had come under attack. A Romulan warbird had come out of nowhere and attacked without warning.

"Cap'n! I dunno how much more she can take! The engines are starting to overheat!"

Chief engineer Scott's voice rang out from the intercom breaking the silence.

"Not much farther Scotty. We have to get there!" Kirk snapped back.

Leonard knew he had to prepare sickbay for incoming. He was just hoping it would be survivors and not bodies.

He could feel the ship shudder under his feet as he ran the distance across the medical bay. It was a hive of activity. All staff had been called on duty. Dr. M'Benga prepping the surgical bays while his team of nurses set up triage and stocked up supplies to be within easy reach.

They waited. This was always the worst part. The calm before the storm. He could see Parker and Baker trembling and his head nurse Chapel still as a statue, lips thin and pale. Before they knew it the doors burst open as staff ran in. Stretcher after stretcher, some patients were being carried by Enterprise staff.

They descended on the injured McCoy and M'Benga and Chapel shouting out orders. Chapel moved like a machine from one to the next. Liz following kit in hand with stickers. Coded for the wounded. Black for dead, red for critical, orange severe, yellow for minor and green for uninjured. Liz saw so many red. Her heart hammered but the sight of the medical team working so seamlessly gave her strength.

"Parker! I need you in surgery! Now!"

Her head jerked up seeing Dr. McCoy leaning out of bay one. She quickly dropped the deep tissue regenerator thankful this patient could now be upgraded to yellow and ran to the bay. She moved next to the doctor and moved her hands and forearms under the sterilizer quickly gloving up. The young woman on the table had a perforated diaphragm, her intestines spilling into her chest. With her on one side and him on the other she handed tool after tool to the doctor anticipating his moves. Any time there was a pause she suctioned, added another bag of blood and added meds to the IV. Normally, there would be two doctors, and a team of nurses but today it was just them. After this girl's belly and chest was finally closed the techs rushed in moving her out and rushed in another and then another and another. Hour after hour they labored.

Suddenly, the patients stopped. It was silent. Her body wound up like a spring she immediately tore off her scrub jacket and ran out to see where else she could help. The sight stilled her. The room was a mess and the floor covered with wounded small trails between each patient but it was finally calm. Her mind changed tactics. She was moving to start to check over the patients again when an arm snaked around her middle startling her.

"Hold on. Take a break." She flipped around eyes bright with tiredness.

"I'm fine. I just need to..."

"What? Collapse on me? While we were in surgery three shifts have passed. The other nurses have each taken a shift off. Even M'Benga took a shift off while Christine watched. It's our turn."

"I feel fine."

"Let's get a drink."

Taking a deep breath she simply turned and started to walk again to grab charts. McCoy grabbed her shoulder spinning her around.

"Dammit woman! It's covered." She could feel her anger rising. She cared for Dr. McCoy but she didn't need his mollycoddling.

"I said I'm fine. I don't need..."

"Don't make me make it an order. You're supposed to still be on light duty and frankly, you look like hell."

She looked at his face seeing tired lines around his eyes, his face flushed with exhaustion and a five o'clock shadow. His shoulders were slightly slumped but his eyes were bright. Not with tiredness but with determination. She wasn't gonna win this one.

"And you look so much better." She smiled.

"You're buying though." His smile was amazing. It was rare she had seen it. He quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and steered her out of the sickbay.

Leonard guided Liz towards his quarters. He had a moment's hesitation in the lift feeling nervous but realized it was a good idea to get away from the sickbay. Anyway, his partner Jabilo had taken over his office working. He hoped Liz would be ok with it. He enjoyed working with her today even though their tasks had been grim. It was like they were one mind. She had handed him the instruments as he moved his hands to obtain them, almost always before asking for them.

He steered her out of the lift once they reached his level. He could feel how tense her small shoulders were. He tightened his grip to reassure her. Feeling her take a deep breath helped him know that it was ok. They quickly arrived at his quarters. He keyed in his code. She did pause momentarily but did step in.

He quickly pulled out a bottle of brandy and two snifters pouring a good amount in both. He slowly walked over to the couch holding both glasses and sat down. He could see Liz still standing in the doorway looking unsure. He rolled his eyes.

"I'm not gonna bite ya! It's just one drink between friends after a long day."

She smiled and visibly relaxed. He had to admit, the new uniform on her looked good. She seemed more sure of herself and he was glad to see her flop next to him. She took the glass he offered and sipped grimacing as it hit her throat.

"How do you stand this stuff?"

"It grows on you."

"Like you?"

He couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah. Like me."

She tilted the glass back downing the rest and closed her eyes shuddering. Her small frame shaking like a leaf. Leonard knew another would be welcomed so he quickly downed his and went to refill. His hands fumbled as he opened the bottle and he had to focus hard. He wasn't sure why. He turned around smiling when he saw her head slumped on the cushions. Her breathing was slow. Her legs folded under her. Her hair had come loose and it framed her face, the curls so soft against her cheeks. Elizabeth's face was relaxed in peaceful slumber.

He took a quick shot from the glass in his left and dumped the other. He had been hoping she'd have held out a little longer. He hadn't really had a chance to spend real time with her, at least as a friend. He slowly walked over and pulled off her boots. She was easy to lift and he carried her to his bed settling the blankets over her. He couldn't help but brush her hair carefully off her face. Leaning down he gently pressed a kiss to her forehead smelling apples. He wasn't sure how she had managed to still smell so sweet after more than 24 hours of brutal work.

Leonard tore his eyes off her and grabbed the spare sheets to lie down on the couch. It was the right thing to do. Spock was right. She was fascinating.

**AN: sorry this chapter is a little short. I'm kind of struggling for ideas. btw- anyone seen the new Star Trek teaser trailer? The Japanese one has an extra part to it. Awesome! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi everyone! I hope this story is going in a direction that you, as the readers enjoy. As always, reviews and ideas are greatly appreciated. I love hearing from you. It really makes my day! So, here goes chapter 10!**

Chapter 10

James Kirk was tired. He had spent the night helping Scotty in engineering to help boost life support and had then been working on the USS Reliant. To try and get her to work under her own power otherwise it was going to be a long time before they reached star base 12. He'd known his friend Bones had been pulling miracles out of his...well, since they had arrived. It was already morning and he was sure that his friend had been unceremoniously kicked out of sickbay and was probably in his quarters about now so he thought he'd drop by for a visit. He'd wanted to find out about the status of the survivors from the Reliant anyway.

He quickly made his way down the corridor despite his fatigue. Pulling up to the door he pressed the button to chime him. Nothing, so he tried again. A frown pulled at his features. He knew McCoy didn't start shift until 0800 hours. He poked at the pad keying on his override authorization code feeling a slight twinge of panic. He was quickly admitted to his friend's quarters. He stepped in waiting or his eyes to adjust to the darkness and he could see that his place was a mess.

"Geeze Bones. And you get onto me?"

He could make out rumpled sheets on the couch and glasses on the counter and a lump in the bed. He thought he should let his friend rest but he did want to see him. A wicked grin came to his face and he moved over to the bed stealthily. He gently placed himself on the edge of the bed close to where his legs would be. The lump didn't even move. He whispered out "Computer, lights."

He slapped at the figures legs and loudly declared.

"Goooood Morning Bones!"

However, when he turned his head he didn't see the familiar scowl of his friend. He saw a rather shocked and pale face of Crewman Parker. Her hair sticking everywhere including up and her mouth was in an almost comical O shape.

"Oh, shit!"

He didn't know if he had said it or Liz but he started tumbling off the edge of the bed as the sheets were pulled. His shock mirroring Liz's. He landed flat on his back falling off the bed and only saw a blue and black blur streak past and out of the room. He stayed there for a minute and started laughing. Jim knew Bones was a gentleman before all things and Liz had been dressed in the bed. However, he was gonna have a little fun with this one.

He quickly made his way to to the sickbay and his grin faded when he saw the state of it. He was glad only half of the crew of the Reliant had been injured. He could only see about 70 people though. Sighing, he knew why. He walked over to Christine Chapel who was administering some medication to a young woman on the ground. Her long legs bent gracefully and her long blonde hair pulled up loosely with random curls falling down showing she had been on shift for a while.

He did love looking at the nurses. He shook his head. And walked over to her giving her one of his sincere smiles.

"Lieutenant Chapel?"

He waited for her to acknowledge him. When he gently placed a hand on her shoulder, he almost laughed as she did a double take to confirm who he was.

"Captain. What can I do for you." He features softened when she finally processed who was bugging her but her gestures were anything but. She had stood pulling out her scanner and was proceeding to check him over. Incredulity washed over him. The medical staff just didn't trust him any more.

"I'm not hurt! I swear. I'm just here to see Dr. McCoy. God, you guys sure know how to greet me, huh?"

Her eyebrows pulled down in a mirror image of his best friend. He put his hands up in what he hoped was a placating gesture of surrender.

"Experience has taught us how to greet you, sir."

"There's just no trust any more."

"He's in his office." She jerked her thumb behind her and stomped off while he put on his best shit eating grin and sauntered over to the office.

"Hiya Bones."

He could see that he was tired. His face was pale as he slowly looked up but he was glad to see him smiling back. Although it was strained. He knew that Bones had taken every death personally even though there was only do much one man could do. He decided to help him think of something else for a little bit.

"You know what? I had an interesting morning."

His smile grew wider.

"I was hoping to find you resting in your quarters. I knew the nurses usually kick you out and when you are barred from here, you go there."

He paused for dramatic flair and was rewarded by McCoy slowly turning red.

"I wanted to check on you. I know that it'd been hard on medical and engineering. I went in and I thought I was waking you. Do you know what I found?"

McCoy shifted in his chair uneasily and Kirk walked around to stand next to him.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He slapped him on the back, his grin if possible got even wider.

"Bones, you sly dog you! You know what I found. Liz. In your bed."

He sputtered incoherently for a moment. His face a deep red.

"I would have thought it was a bit cliché. You know, doctors and nurses."

He waggled his eyebrows enjoying his friend floundering.

"Dammit Jim! I'm a doctor not a Casanova!"

He threw back his head laughing.

"I know. She was surprisingly clothed and surprised to find herself there in the first place."

"Poor girl. She must be horrified." McCoy rubbed his face and looked up.

Jim took on a more serious tone.

"Sorry man. I was coming to check on you. She ran out hat door so fast all I saw was a blue blur."

McCoy groaned in response.

"You like her."

It was a simple statement but it elicited an amusing response. He watched his friend turn red again and look away. His mouth gaping like he was a fish out of water. He knew Bones didn't really know what to say.

"She just fell asleep is all. I didn't have the heart to wake her. 36 hours working. 18 of those in surgery. I care about all my nurses. She's just a valued colleague."

"You're a bad liar Bones."

"She's just a friend."

"Keep telling yourself that."

"Dammit Jim! What'd you want anyway?"

He turned serious again knowing he'd messed with the doctor enough. It always put him in a good mood because though McCoy didn't outwardly show it his posture had relaxed. The blush in his cheeks had shown Jim what he had already figured out.

"I came to check on you and see how the survivors were doing. We've almost restored impulse power to the Reliant. Their medical bay was relatively undamaged so they can start taking care of their own soon. Now that life support is back up to full capacity their CMO is wanting his people back. He'll be over soon now that his set of patients are stable."

McCoy nodded.

"The Reliant is looking good enough to be able to take care of their own soon and they're maybe a day away from star base 12 once we restore impulse. Once life support was established we found the rest of the crew in the cargo bays unharmed. Dr. Thomson will be over in an hour or two to debrief you and handle the transfer."

"Thanks Jim. I'm glad it worked out. You figure out what happened?"

Kirk leaned forward feeling anger and frustration over the situation. It had been a stupid reason for a fight and he just didn't get it.

"Yeah. The Reliant had sent out a probe to get more detailed astronomical readings when it had malfunctioned spiraling into the neutral zone. Apparently, the Romulans had been watching them and saw this as an invasion into their territory. They wouldn't accept hails or any form of explanation and took it upon themselves to retaliate. I don't think they counted on the crew putting up much of a fight. Once they heard we were on our way they must have decided it wasn't worth the trouble. It would have been two against one and they left."

"I just don't get it. We've had peace with them for years. The federation knows Nero was acting alone and so does the Romulan Empire. We want to keep he peace and they say thy do too but then something like this happens."

McCoy shook his head in disbelief. Jim sighed and stood up.

"Yeah. I know. The Reliant, if all goes according to Scotty should be able to leave under impulse within about 6 hours."

He quickly changed tact. He didn't want to leave his friend on such a depressing note.

"Hey, Bones?"

"Yeah?"

"I think you should go get a coffee with Crewman Parker. She looked a little flustered this morning."

He grinned feeling happy when he saw his friend scowl but he swore he could see a smile behind it. He knew he was thinking hard when his response was slow.

"Uh, Maybe she could help me with the transfer list. She did help in surgery with most of them."

"Uh huh. I'll catch you later."

He waved over his shoulder and could hear his friend scrambling to grab PADDs to meet Liz. If Bones wanted to lie to himself and use an excuse he'd let him. For now.

Liz had never been so horrified in her life. She'd run the distance to her quarters in her rumpled uniform carrying her boots. She didn't even pause to put them on when she had vacated Dr. McCoy's quarters leaving behind a similarly stunned Kirk floundering on the floor. A few crew members had seen her rushing through the corridors but had thankfully only given her quizzical looks.

She finally reached her quarters and leaned against the door taking a deep breath hoping to slow her heart rate. She could feel the heat in her face remembering the surprised look in Captain Kirk's face when she had woken up in McCoy's bed. It had been nice until that moment. For some reason she had felt safe. She could still smell his aftershave and soap. It was a clean, sweet smell. Normally, guy's room had a bad odor but his was nice. It was comforting and had the effect of calming her down. She could feel a smile tugging on her lips as she took a deep breath letting it wash over her. Feeling herself calm down she went to get ready for the day. She grabbed a coffee from her personal replicator and headed for the shower.

Finally ready she looked at the computer schedule and saw that her name had been taken off clinic duty. Furious indignation threatened to take over. She saw she was on administration today. She wondered if he had thought she wasn't up to it. That maybe since she had accidentally fallen asleep that he was weak. That had to have been why she had been tucked into bed like a damn child. Not as a sweet gesture but like that of a parent tucking in a child that had stayed up past bed time.

She felt so ashamed. Heat flared on her cheeks in embarrassment. How could she have thought anything else. She sat stewing for a minute before realizing she had to grab breakfast to make it back on time for her shift. Though it was only paperwork she still wanted to do it right. She stood up straightening her shirt and was walking out the door when she slammed into the man she had been thinking about so intently.

"Doctor! I'm so sorry." She stumbled backwards damning herself for feeling her face start to heat up.

"Is there something I could do for you?" She could see him shifting his stance looking uncomfortable. Her head tilted while she had been waiting.

"I..uh...was hoping you could help me out with these files. We're hoping to start transferring the Reliant personnel back to their ship soon."

She saw him run a hand through his hair and indicate a handful of PADDs in his other hand. He looked so unsure and nervous she almost let herself crack.

"Over breakfast. Maybe?"

"Of course."

He grinned and indicated the way. As she walked she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

They had been about halfway through the stack when she couldn't help but ask.

"Why did you take me off rotation?"

He faltered under her steely gaze.

"Is it because I passed out last night? You think I can't handle it?"

He couldn't meet her eyes and he fiddled with his stylus for a moment before looking back at her. Brows drawn and his jaw set. She matched his look.

"Christ woman! Anyone would have had the same reaction. You're not weak. You were amazing yesterday."

He reached out and grabbed her hands. She couldn't pull away. His voice was gruff but sweet.

"Thanks. I enjoy working with you. You're a great friend."

She could swear she saw him flinch when she had said friend but it had to have been her imagination. He patted her hands one final time and picked up the PADDs to continue their work.

"Dr. McCoy?"

He grunted in acknowledgement. She felt him close off but she wasn't really sure why. He had made his view of her perfectly clear.

"Thanks for last night."

"Anytime."


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi! Thank you so much to the people who a following, favoriting and reviewing the story so far. I love telling my boyfriend about it and we both get so excited. Yay! I love love love it! It makes my day and gives me the inspiration to continue. To the guest reviewer in response to the Romulan question: the Romulans are the cousins to the vulcans. The Romulans are vulcans who during the time of Surak decided the path of suppressing emotions wasn't for them so they left and went to form the Romulan Empire.**

**This chapter I'm taking a little bit of writer's creativity. The original series stated the Eugenics War and the time of Khan Noonien Singh was in the 1990s from 1992-1996 and according to the memory alpha website was a preemptive reason for the Third World War according to the next generation was 2026-2053. I'm gonna make out that the Eugenics War was a hidden government conspiracy and was only declassified due to the Third World War. I hope this works for you all.**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Eleven

Since the Reliant incident Liz had still been stuck on light duty. She wondered when McCoy was going to relinquish his iron grip and let her try and retain some semblance of normalcy. He'd been checking up on her a little more frequently and almost every morning without fail he just "happened" to arrive in the mess hall at the same time as her and just "happened" to have not had breakfast either. It would have been endearing if she didn't feel like he was evaluating her every response.

She decided to throw him for a loop today. She needed a break and wanted to try something new. She'd been studying the manuals and technical specs wanting to advance her knowledge of 23rd century technology. It had been almost unendurably boring but she was wanting to be more flexible. What would happen if she was out on an away mission and the pilot became incapacitated. Since the disastrous away mission to G-23 she had been making it a point to study everything she could. Although, unlike her adaptability in the medical field she had nothing to really base her furthering education on. She'd sent a request to meet Lieutenant Sulu at the shuttle bay to get a more hands on approach.

She turned the corner and walked through the shuttle bay doors nervous. Her heart fluttering as she saw the magnitude of the shuttle. It was so big. Well, it was obviously not as big as the Enterprise but she'd been expecting it to be smaller. More like one of those old Apollo pods. It was a pretty silver color with sleek lines on the side. The Starfleet emblem proudly displayed next to the serial number of the Enterprise. It looked like they had named the shuttle too. Galileo. It was a nice name bring to mind the whole idea and hope for being out here. Much like the scientist Galileo they were exploring the universe and trying to unlock it's secrets, though, thankfully, they were able to do so without as much interference as he did.

She slowly walked completely around the shuttle noting the larce nacelles on both sides and resisting the urge to climb up and peek into the window like a child knowing that Lt. Sulu would be there soon. She was almost glad she had today off and that she would get to see one of these things. They did look interesting. She bent down to try and see under it wondering about the machinations more when she heard the telltale whoosh of the doors. She smiled in nervous anticipation when she saw Sulu striding over grinning.

"I was wondering when you were gonna ask about these. To be honest, I was hoping it would have been sooner but I know Dr. McCoy tends to keep his people closer to home. I think it's because he doesn't like these things too much himself."

"I was just curious. Mainly, I was hoping for a look around."

She saw him grin even wider and she almost felt her heart was going to jump out of her throat. In the forefront of her mind she couldn't help but remember her own time's failed space missions. The Challenger, in 1986 and Columbia in 2003. It had been frightening and here she was wanting to step into one of these tin cans with a man not much older than her! Maybe she was crazy.

"We can do better than just a look. Since the Reliant was unable to finish their charting of this region of space Commander Spock suggested that we could take the Galileo out to start scanning the area. You know how to work the scanners, right?"

She nodded mutely. She wasn't sure she really liked the idea. The only thing that came to mind was that she was being thrown in he deep end and it was time to sink or swim.

"We'll be taking the Galileo out for the day and while we're scanning I can teach you some of the basics of piloting. We'll head out ahead for about four hours and just head back. Simple."

Yeah. Nothing is ever simple here on the Enterprise.

"Are we going alone?"

"Commander Spock is coming too. He wants to help so it can be more of a learning opportunity for you. Especially since it's technically your day off."

As he finished the doors came open again and Commander Spock strode towards the shuttle only giving a nod to her before pressing a button to open the main doors. Commander Spock took the seat at the back, while Sulu had quickly taken the pilot's chair at the front. He looked in his element. He nodded for her to take the seat next to him and once she sat she felt a little better. She could see both officers really knew what they were doing. Sulu was showing her he preflight checks for the inertial dampeners, the impulse and warp engines, the thrusters, computer, life support and the list went on. He pointed to each display and she quickly memorized each button he was pressing and trying to put the manuals to the practical aspect. It was so different but she understood the process. The preflight check complete all that remained was permission to leave.

"You want to do that?" Sulu turned to her and she quickly shook her head, heat creeping up her neck.

"Shuttle raft Galileo to Enterprise. We are requesting clearance to depart. All checks are clear and we are ready to disembark on your authorization."

_"Enterprise to Galileo. You are cleared for launch."_

And with that Sulu's hands danced across the controls almost too fast for her to watch. Thankfully, he kept up a running commentary for her benefit. Once they cleared the shuttle bay doors and the Enterprise Sulu's movements slowed. He frowned considering something and his grin reappeared. His dark eyes seemed to light up as he pulled away and then swung around. She couldn't help but gasp in surprise and admiration.

Hanging in open space she saw the Enterprise for the first time. It really was something. She'd seen pictures of it but they were nothing on actually seeing it. It's sleek lines silhouetted against a black backdrop. The stars seemed endless and in the shuttle craft they seemed so much closer than from a view port on the Enterprise. The ship was massive and it only made her realize just how small she really was.

"Thank you Lt. Sulu. It's amazing." Her breath was literally taken away.

"No problem. Just thought I'd show you home properly before we headed out."

She couldn't help but feel excited. It was almost like roughing it by using the shuttle. Even though the technology was top of the line it just felt like it was so much less because they weren't doing this on the ship.

Two hours passed and Liz was starting to feel a little antsy. Though she was far from done learning it just seemed like a long day. The shuttle was small and had very little privacy. She didn't know Sulu very well so the poor guy had been peppered with questions the entire time. She figured from Spock's demeanor that he wouldn't take well to being interrogated.

"So...you do fencing? I've never tried it."

She was running out of ideas on topics. Sulu had even let her plot their return course and she had only needed minimal correction. A beeping from Commander Spock's science station gave her the distraction she desperately needed. She jumped up rushing over.

"Crewman. What do you see on the scanners?"

Damn. She hated feeling dumb. She was struggling to understand the lines and waves. She adjusted the viewing piece and bent low to have a closer look. She could feel the Vulcan watching her and she wanted to get it right.

"It looks like a ship. Small. Definitely old."

She twisted the dial on the side o take a more detailed reading focusing on life signs.

"I'm detecting...possible life signs. There are heartbeats. No respiration but the beats are extremely slow. About 4 beats per minute. Approximately 74 of them all together."

She leaned back. Her eyebrows drawn.

"Commander?"

"Yes, Miss Parker?"

"Sir? That ship had English...I mean standard written on it. It said SS Botany Bay."

He moved into her personal space to look for himself.

"Fascinating. I believe it is an old DY-100 class ship. Used during your time. Around the years 1994-1996."

Sulu had pulled them into a dead stop wanting to see for himself.

"I've never seen one. What's it doing out here? They were only used for local travel. Nuclear powered, very slow."

Sulu had apparently impressed Spock because he just leaned back and raised an eyebrow in what was clearly surprise. Her only feeling was confusion.

"I'm sorry, sir, but did you say 1990s? I was alive in the 90s and I never saw a ship like that. Sure we had NASA and shuttles and the moon stuff in the 60s and 70s but that was pretty much it."

Their expressions were almost comical had she not been so frustrated.

"Miss Parker, do you mean to tell me you don't know of the significance of the time frame of 1992-1994?"

Commander Spock moved closer and was looking down at her almost like a parent explaining to a child why the sun rose in the sky. Heat rose in her cheeks in furious indignation. She had been there. Nothing significant really happened. Jerking her head for negative she bit her tongue and waited for an explanation.

"During that time frame your people were involved in what is now known as the Eugenics Wars. A volatile period in your history where a group of scientists had decided to attempt what they believed was an improvement of the human race through selective breeding and genetic enhancement and manipulation. Though the enhanced humans were overthrown and eventually killed it was the basis for your planet's Third World War which was from 2026-2053. It was a devastating period."

She just nodded numbly not really believing what he was saying. She'd never heard of any of this.

"I still don't remember any of this happening. The only time I remember any talk of selective breeding was during World War II when Nazis had some creepy Aryan racial purity belief."

Sulu stepped forward.

"It had been under wraps and hidden by your government. It was many years before the truth came out. The public didn't start to know until the early 2020s. I'm not surprised."

Disbelief flooded through her. In a way, though she had lost everything landing here she was almost glad. She didn't want to think about what would have happened to her had she remained in her own time period.

"Wow. That's...uh...pretty shocking."

That was an understatement. All three of them turned their views to the old ship hovering curious as to what they would find. They saw that it was clearly battle scarred. Pitted all over with meteor craters, burns from solar flares and some panels had come off exposing wires to the vacuum of space. The sight was foreboding to say the least and Liz couldn't explain why but the sight sent chills down her spine. Clearly, she wasn't the only one. Lt. Sulu gave a slight shiver causing his black hair to fall into his eyes.

"Commander? What should we do? Hail them?" Liz hesitated slightly not knowing if she'd like the answer considering Spock's grim depiction of her time period.

"I believe we should attempt to communicate however I think it may be best to advise the Enterprise of our situation since we do not comprise a full away team."

Spock turned to Liz. Even though she knew he was dying to go over and see the ship he didn't show a hint of it. His eyes sparkled with the curiosity but he was all protocol.

"Miss Parker, would you open hailing frequencies and contact the Enterprise requesting assistance?"

"Aye, sir."

She moved to the front of the shuttle and took a seat in the co-pilot's chair. There were so many buttons. She was trying to remember what Lt. Sulu did to contact the Enterprise. Normally, she never had a problem with her memory but out of he corner out of her eye as she was searching for the right buttons. It was almost as if she was drawn to it but it still set her on edge. She tried to focus but the panel in front of her just seemed like a jumbled mess of colors.

She suddenly felt Sulu come up behind her. He leaned over her chair his face close to hers. Compassion in his eyes as if he sensed her difficulty. She didn't understand why she was freezing like this. Maybe it was the knowledge that the Commander had imparted telling her the hidden truths of her times, maybe it was the fact that most likely all of her friends had died in the war following. Yes, they had had died a long time ago but she had been thinking it was due to old age not a war. Or maybe it was he knowledge that this ship was a clue to that hidden past.

"Here, this button opens the channels, this one helps you select the channels and this one starts the hailing code. When they acknowledge the screen will come up immediately. After you select the channels, then you say who you are and who you're trying to contact."

He smoothly sat next to her nodding for her to continue. She smiled her thanks and quickly followed his instructions.

"Shuttle craft Galileo to USS Enterprise. Please respond."

Almost immediately the screen to her right lit up showing the bridge of the Enterprise. Kirk sitting in his chair looking mildly curious seeing her on his screen and McCoy standing next to him looking like he'd swallowed a bottle of tabasco sauce. His face was red and his mouth was open. It was hard to focus on the Captain when McCoy was so distracting.

"Crewman Parker, well this is a surprise. I was expecting Commander Spock. I didn't realize your training session with Lieutenant Sulu extended to a practical session."

She blushed furiously. She had thought that Sulu had received authorization for this little ride. She turned a glare to him before turning back. She opened her mouth to speak but Spock cut her off coming up from behind her silently.

"I apologize Captain. I had believed that my request was thorough in stating that I was to accompany Mr. Sulu and Miss Parker to assist on their mapping of this region."

"You're right Commander. I just didn't register that Crewman Parker was there. So, what can we do for you?"

McCoy was looking at Kirk now almost purple in the face. Liz moved slightly to get out of the view and because the commander was at this point brushing against her. She didn't understand why the doctor was so upset but she had a bad feeling it was because she hadn't told him.

"Our scanners detected an Earth type vessel, it appears to be a class DY-100 dating from the mid 1990s. We are unsure of life signs and are requesting back up to lead an away mission."

"Alright. We'll be there in he looked to the young Bolian who was manning Sulu's station at the helm."

"15 minutes at warp 3, sir."

Kirk nodded.

"That would be acceptable. We will see you soon. Galileo out."

The screen went blank. Sulu turned to Liz a look of sympathy on his face.

"Liz? What did you do to piss McCoy off? I've only seen him this upset at the Captain and that's usually when he does something really stupid."

She flipped her head around so fast it hurt. She gave him a filthy look before replying with a voice much calmer than what she was feeling.

"Mister Sulu, I had assumed that you had informed the appropriate people that I was coming along. He was probably upset when he couldn't find me. He was probably on the bridge trying to locate me for something and then to have me pop up on a screen must have really upset him."

"I left the request next to him. He probably didn't see it."

Spock spoke up from the back where he had started scanning again.

"It is unusual. It was also stated in my report that I would be accompanying both you and Mister Sulu on this trip."

She frowned looking away. Why would Captain Kirk act like he didn't know where she had been.

McCoy spun on his heel to face his friend. He was positively raging. He'd been looking for Liz for two hours and then she was on some damn tin can.

"Captain, I thought you had said you didn't know where she was."

Jim leaned over and casually pulled out two PADDs and looked at hem feigning surprise. It incensed him further.

"Oh. Here are the requests. I must have missed them. You weren't worried. Were you, Bones? She's just a crew member."

He gave McCoy a knowing grin and it took all of his professional training to not strangle him and his two-bit psychology.

"May I remind you that I worry about all crew members on the Enterprise."

Jim actually looked disappointed but he quickly changed tact. Smirking he leaned over.

"Bones, I think your reaction just now was a little more than just caring. Why don't you greet her and ask her how her shuttle flight went. We'll be having a quick briefing an hour after we pick them up."

He sputtered for a moment but quickly turned in a huff and left for the shuttle bay. He didn't hear Uhura's comment to the Captain.

"That was mean. I'm impressed though."

**AN: Ok, suggestions? I was tempted to have them go on the craft alone but Spock seems like a by the rules kind of guy and he wouldn't go rushing in without good backup or a good reason. Also, Kirk has probably noticed McCoy hasn't made a move even though he's interested and as new movie fans, everyone knows he doesn't do subtle. I hope it's ok. We're gonna have a little fun in the next chapter or two. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello out there! I am so glad people are following this! I love you all! This is so cool. Every follow, favorite and review spurs me on to not abandon. Thank you so much! And now, onto the newcomers! By the way, I want to recommend an author that I recently read. He/she (pretty sure it's a guy) is awesome! His name is Mijan and he's writing academy fics. they're called convergence, and all the king's men, and crossfire. This writer is amazing. Lease check it out. He hasn't finished crossfire yet but the writing is amazing! Thanks again for reading!**

**tishbing**

Chapter Twelve

Liz felt relief as Sulu helped her pilot into the Enterprise's shuttle bay. She had enjoyed the time with him but was content with the security of the larger ship. She touched down under his kind guidance a little tougher than she had intended sending a jolt up her spine.

"Sorry."

Sulu merely glanced over and waved her apology off.

"Hey, that's not bad at all. Did I ever tell you about my first landing?"

She couldn't help but smile. He helped her detach herself from her harness quickly pulling her to her feet.

"I had taken an old class two shuttle and didn't adjust the thrusters completely leaving them underpowered. My instructor wasn't too happy. The entire bottom of the ship was pulled off. The hull plating had to be completely replaced."

"Seriously? How did you get so good?"

"Practice and...my instructor told me if I ever did that again he'd kill me. I made sure I didn't"

She was laughing as they all left the shuttle. Sulu was a great teacher. He was easy going and had the patience of a saint.

"Do you mind if we do another lesson soon? However, I'd kind of like to slow it down a little."

"Sure. I have some time about 2 weeks from today. It'll give you a chance to brush up on the engineering aspects. I think Lt. Cmdr. Scott will be more than happy to help you on that. In fact, any opportunity to show off engineering will send him over the moon."

She smiled feeling her face light up. She was so lucky to have landed here.

"Thanks!"

She was still smiling until she noticed McCoy. He had been waiting outside the bay doors. At least he looked calmer. She turned to her shuttle companions.

"I'll see you both later. Thank you for the opportunity today."

Spock nodded and walked to the bridge while Sulu waved enthusiastically, a big grin on his face. It made him look so much younger than his years. She swiftly turned to Dr. McCoy, her smile frozen on her face, though she knew it wasn't reaching her eyes.

"Doctor."

She nodded curtly and moved to walk down the corridor to go home when she felt a hand snake around her upper arm. The gentle pressure stopped her and she turned. He looked like he'd seen a ghost. His face was pale and his eyes overly bright. It was such a stark contrast to when she had seen him on the bridge. It was, to say the least, unsettling. She put it down to worry. He must have been worrying about her. She appreciated his concern but she was old enough to take care of herself. She didn't need a father when she was small and she didn't need one now.

"Can I help you?"

His mouth moved but no sound came out. She hoped she hadn't sounded as harsh as she thought she did. She cared about him and damn it all, he was cute but he had made it clear he didn't think she could handle it. His hair was ruffled and he looked a mess. His eyes were watching her. She could see how unsure he looked. She felt her heart clench at the sight. She wanted to say that she liked him as more than a friend but found she was old fashioned to the core. Until he proved otherwise she would assume he didn't feel the same way.

"Sir? If there isn't anything further I've got to type up a report for the Captain."

She turned and tried to pull out of his grip but suddenly found it was like iron. He quickly pulled her to him kissing her deeply. It was like fire on her mouth and she found herself melting into him returning his kiss with as much passion. His tongue gently pushed through her lips where it met her own. She closed her eyes and could see lights popping and feel her spine tingle. He had released her arm and she moved her arms to encircle his neck as she felt his slide down her waist resting at the small of her back effectively pinning her to him. She didn't care. She could feel goosebumps erupting on her skin.

She slowly pulled herself away feeling shy and embarrassed. She had never experienced anything like that before. Leonard's face was relaxed and flushed. He was smiling a big grin and he seemed overly pleased with himself only causing her to smile in return. She put her hands to her face and all Liz could say at that point was "Holy shit Bones!"

He was inconsolable at this point. Laughing as he put an arm around her shoulders leading her to his quarters.

"How was the trip?"

"Uh...good. Interesting."

Wow. One word answers. Not good. Her mind was buzzing. She was almost glad he had a firm grip on her shoulders because her legs had become like jello. The corridors never seemed so long. She stared straight ahead. She knew Leonard was watching her but she found she was at an utter loss of words. They arrived and he led her to the couch taking a seat next to her. He still had a smug look on his face.

"What brought this on? I...I thought you didn't like me that way. Do I call you Leonard? Off shift of course. Umm...wow...is that why you've been having breakfast with me? Why were you so mad on the bridge? Was it my fault?"

Her questions and words just came out so jumbled. She still didn't know what to say properly so she was saying anything she could think of. He could see just how flustered she was feeling. She could feel her heart beating in excitement and she had to carefully control her breathing. He put his hand on hers.

"Look, Liz, I've liked you for a little while now. That way. Yes, you can call me Leonard. Yes, that's why I've been having breakfast with you. I've...been trying to work up the courage to tell you."

He took a deep breath. She let it sink in and waited for him to continue.

"And I was on the bridge after I went to join you for breakfast as usual. You weren't there. I looked everywhere and then the computer said you weren't on board. I got scared and I asked Jim where you were and he was being damn evasive as usual."

His face flew into his trademark scowl. She felt his hand tighten around hers and she squeezed back to let him know it was ok. She waited while he took a deep breath and continued.

"He was trying to force me, using damn mediocre psychology, to realize that I cared about you more than I was willing to admit. And when I saw you were on a shuttle, no security. Yeah, it really made me mad. You didn't tell me. Why?"

His face softened, almost pleading when he asked her. Her breath caught and the guilt was so heavy it was almost suffocating.

"I had just intended to look around the shuttle. Sulu was supposed to just show me around. A preliminary lesson but Commander Spock and he thought that there was a learning opportunity there and I didn't want to pass it up. We were only going to take some readings and head back. I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd notice. Or mind. I've been on light duty and I figured you were just babysitting me. You know? I was wanting a break from it."

She focused on the far corner of the room and pulled her hand back wiping her face and smoothed her hair. It probably only succeeded in making it more messy than usual but she didn't care. A warm arm encircled her pulling her close and she settled into his chest. She could feel herself relax. His sweet smell helping her to feel comfortable. He kissed her on top of her head and muffled words came out.

"I don't think I need a break from you. I put you on light duty after the hell you went through only a few weeks ago. You're still adjusting to our time let alone what has happened since. I'm sorry too. I didn't realize you felt that way. I'll set it up so you can get back to work normally."

She nodded and closed her eyes. Liz wanted nothing more than to stay here with him but she had work to do. There was that mystery ship out there.

"Leonard?"

"Hmm?"

Apparently he was content to stay this way too.

"We found a ship. From my time."

She noticed him sit straighter and pull himself together going into professional mode. She pulled away. There was time. Later.

"What kind of ship?"

Frowning she immediately pulled it up out of her memory.

"Spock called it a DY-100 class vessel. Nuclear powered. Probably from the mid 1990s. He talked to me about a Eugenics War. I'd never heard of this stuff before today. I saw it in some of my studies since I arrived here but I was so focused on the medical side I didn't really pay attention. I lived in that time. Never heard of it. It must have been classified and hidden from the public. And I was pretty young then so I didn't really watch the news."

"Did you try to contact it? Life signs?"

"We didn't want to risk any weapons fire or automated systems. We detected 74 separate heartbeats, too slow for humans or any other known life form. Approximately 4 beats per minute with no signs of respiration. So, it's not what I'd call definite life signs. The ship is pretty beat up but it still looked intact."

McCoy leaned forward his chin in his hand.

"I think we're gonna have to go over. The briefing starts in a few minutes. I'd better head up. If you wouldn't mind heading over to sickbay, nurse. You can start back now."

Laughing she playfully shoved him while he started walking out.

Dr. McCoy made his way up to the bridge feeling lighter than he had all week. He couldn't help smiling as walked. He did notice with amusement that the few people he passed in the corridor did double takes as the saw him.

The lift deposited him on the bridge. It was a flurry of activity as Chekov and Spock were attempting more detailed scans, Uhura and Kirk trying to hail the ship and Sulu and some redhead he didn't know were pulling up information from the era in question. He was still irritated at Jim even though the results were in both of their favors. He walked over to Spock's station to look at the readings himself.

Bending over the viewing piece he was able to confirm Liz's statements. There wasn't much else he could see.

"Alright everybody, we're not receiving anything from hails. We're going to be taking a small team over to investigate. This could be a piece of history or it could be Pandora's box. The away team will consist of myself, Dr. McCoy, Lieutenant Sulu, and our historian Marla McGivers. Standard issue phasers and tricorders."

He nodded to each of them including the red haired girl. McCoy walked up beside Jim as they got to the turbolift. Jim was bouncing on his toes in excitement. The only person more excited was McGivers who was rattling on to Sulu about the ships of the 20th century. He heard Sulu mention something about considering getting a a license for something called a helicopter. It was about then he decided the whole lot of them are crazy.

Transporting on the ship went smoothly. For once he didn't feel a thing. First thing he noticed was it was very dark. He pulled out his flashlight at the same time as everyone else and started looking around. There was dust everywhere. How you can get dust in space was anybody's guess. It also explained how the air tasted stale.

The lights started flickering and then McCoy was left blinking.

"It was just a loose wire. Look at this! I think these are what was known as transistors. This is amazing! It's definitely a 20th century ship."

Sulu's voice rang out and he was scanning everything. Immediately his attention was turned elsewhere. In the walls were people. They looked like they were in display cases. He pulled out his tricorder and started recording the readings. Miss McGivers was walking as if in a daze.

"What a handsome group of people. It's a sleeper ship. It was known that interplanetary travel was impossible in that time so they put them in a form of stasis until they'd reach their destination."

They were tall, athletic and all of them seemed to be from every nationality and race possible. Almost like Noah's ark. Just as he was scanning the next one Jim's voice called out urgently.

"Bones! One's activating!"

He rushed over seeing the heart rate increasing. He was a man mid thirties, East Indian and European mix, long black hair, strong square features.

"Heart rate's increasing. 6 beats, 10, 40, respiration is starting."

"Bones, could they survive being in stasis for 2 centuries?"

He thought for a minute.

"Theoretically, I guess it's possible. I've never seen it tested though."

McGiver's spoke up. She was watching the man in the case with a hungry look in her eyes.

"From the Northern India area, possibly a Sikh. They're the most fantastic warriors! A man from the 20th century coming alive before my very eyes."

Kirk stepped up addressing the young historian.

"Could he be the leader?"

"Most likely. It was common the leader would be revived first to determine if the conditions were suitable for the others."

McCoy scowled. His reading started showing destabilization. The unit started sparking.

"We've got to get him out of there."

They both started breaking the glass and pulled the door open. A shelf with the man on it burst through. McCoy could feel anxiety as he started scanning furiously with one hand and simultaneously grabbing a hypospray with the other pressing it to his neck. He noticed the heartbeat and breathing steady. Breathing a sigh of relief he turned to the Captain.

"He's steady for now but I need to get him to sickbay for a better analysis."

Jim nodded his understanding. The man on the table began to stir. Clearly regaining consciousness and the doctor saw his mouth move though no sound came out. The Captain leaned down to try and hear better. His ears strained, he wanted to hear what this man from the past was going to say.

"How...long?"

It was a hoarse whisper.

"More than two centuries."

The unknown man promptly passed out. McCoy quickly pulled out his medical tricorder and could see his heart rate had started dropping.

"We've got to go."

Kirk pulled out his communicator and flipped it open.

"Kirk to transporter room. Please beam back Dr. McCoy. He's returning with a medically unstable patient."

Putting his hand on his patient he anxiously waited for the tingle of the transporter.

Jim Kirk turned to the remaining away team which was at this point just Lieutenant McGivers and Sulu.

"Ok people, let have a look around to see if we can find out more about this ship."

After two hours, searching bow to stern all they could locate was one small computer terminal. It had a bulky looking screen and a small keyboard in front of it. The keyboard only had letters and numbers so it appeared to Kirk that the orders had to have been programmed in manually into this computer. It also had a round ball set in the middle that spun in place when prompted. He tapped randomly on the board and nothing happened. The screen remained blank. He had to be doing this wrong. Normally when he would touch the keys on any other computer he's ever been on the system would activate. He turned to his companions and gestured for them to have a try.

Sulu had looked around, on top of and even under it to try and locate an activation mechanism. He shrugged and frowned. Jim was sure he felt the same way, outwitted by a 20th century computer terminal.

Marla was the last to step forward and she reached out a finger and pressed a button next to the computer that had a circular symbol with a vertical line through the upper part. Immediately the system roared to life flashing with the words SS Botany Bay. She looked over at the Captain and smirked. His mouth was slightly open in surprise but he quickly closed it.

"I think you've got the hang of this Miss McGivers. Can you try and access launch date, crew manifest, mission, maybe even intended destination?"

"I'll try, sir."

Together, he and Sulu watched as Marla pulled up schematics, programs relating to activating the stasis units and star charts that were primitive at best but there was no information at all about what they needed. Sulu was recording everything and when the red head turned shaking her head, Sulu shook his as well. Jim could feel his frustration mounting. Though he wanted to help these people he couldn't if he didn't know them. At least Liz had come through with a nice name tag.

"Alright. We'll head back and look through our records and see what we can find. I've never heard of any human expeditions going out this far and the name is bothering me."

He turned to McGivers.

"Wasn't Botany Bay the name of an Australian penal colony? The one where the British sent their convicts, soldiers and immigrants that they wanted to distance themselves from?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Ooh! I love it! Reviews make my day! Thank you so much! Btw- I am very sorry if my grammar or punctuation sucks. I'm having to type on an IPad because my computer died. It likes to autocorrect with what it believes is the word I'm trying to type and then other times it just lets it go. I personally think this iPad is out to get me. I will, hopefully, soon be upgrading back to a computer. Thanks for the patience!**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Thirteen

Liz had been helping Nurse Chapel set a young woman's arm and was walking out when Doctor McCoy came rushing into sickbay with a man on a stretcher. She quickly placed the hypo with the sedative want for Chapel's patient in her pocket. She could feel her pulse quicken as she rushed over to help. The man looked familiar but she couldn't place him. She was focused on the task at hand. It took two orderlies, the doctor and herself to lift him onto a biobed. He was massive. He was grey though. He wasn't getting enough oxygen.

They worked for twenty minutes to stabilize him. Though she wished she could say it was all them, it was mostly the man on the biobed. He had amazing recuperative abilities.

"I can't believe it. Heart valve action is twice that of a normal man, lung capacity up by 40%, his muscle strength is enough to be able to pick up two people with one arm."

McCoy shook his head, looking at her with amazement in his face. Liz looked down at their patient. It just wouldn't click. They walked into the office to let him rest and recover.

The captain and a lieutenant Liz didn't know came walking into McCoy's office only moments after them.

"Hi. I'm Elizabeth Parker."

The young woman smiled and shook her hand.

"Marla McGivers. Ship's historian."

"Cool."

Jim stepped forward.

"How's our guest? Is he going to live?"

McCoy sat at his desk pulling up the chart for all to see.

"It looks like it. There's something in him that just refuses to accept death. He's almost superhuman. His recuperative powers are off the scale."

Liz could see Marla's eyes lighting up. Her speech almost sounded breathy.

"A real live person from the 20th century. Amazing."

Liz snorted indignantly and shot her a filthy look. The doctor simply rolled his eyes. The captain moved to the door, indicating or the lieutenant to follow. He paused at the entrance and looked back towards her.

"Miss Parker, I was wondering if you happened to recognize him at all?"

She paused and tried to think back. She remembered someone similar. But he was younger then.

"I think I might know him. He seems so familiar but I just can't place it. I'm sorry, sir."

He nodded and left, McGivers following quickly but as she was leaving the red head gave Liz a look of bewilderment. The doctor settled himself at his desk to write up a report and she took this as her cue to leave.

She moved to check on her patient and was taking the vitals when a hand suddenly grabbed her neck, pushing her to the wall. She couldn't breath. He was in her face. His dark brown eyes full of fire looking not at her but into her, as if he was evaluating her. She moved her left arm to try and punch him but he caught it easily.

"Such fire. Where am I?"

He loosened his hold just enough for her to catch her breath. She turned to scream but he tightened it just as fast and twisted her arm. She couldn't help but whimper.

"No. Let's try again. Where am I?"

He loosened his grip again.

"You're in my medical bay strangling the nurse taking care of you, you son of a bitch!"

She hissed at him. He almost looked amused. He slowly released his grip and sat on the bed. He continued watching her as she took deep breaths, rubbing her neck. She shot him a filthy look before calming herself down.

"I see you're feeling a little better."

"I never forget a face. You look familiar."

Liz's eyes narrowed. She didn't like the way he said that. It was...almost patronizing.

"Was I hearing correctly when someone said I had been asleep for more than two centuries?"

She nodded.

"Then you cannot be the Elizabeth Parker from my time."

He started to wave her off but her interest was peaked. She had been right. She did recognize him.

"Actually, I may be. I was born in 1987. I was accidentally brought here by an unusual energy ribbon. I've been here ever since."

He looked surprised, then alarmed but quickly, it was like a mask was pulled over and he just looked...pleasant.

"I am not sure. The girl I knew was deaf, visually impaired, inferior."

He had looked away, almost like he was disgusted with the thought. It felt like her face was on fire, she was so mad. She remembered. Her mother had taken a sabbatical to northern India to see a man who she thought could help. Her mother had told her that he had helped her to be born but that it had gone a little wrong and that she had thought he might help. Liz had only been 4 years old. She remembered this man had looked at her and tested her and had waved them away.

Her mother had been heartbroken. At the time, she had thought he was a doctor but her mom had told her he was just a friend. Liz had not thought of that day in a long time. Since that day, her mother had worked on advancing her through school, pioneering rights for the deaf and making it possible for her to have a career. Her mother had been so proud the day she had graduated.

"I think it was. I don't know why but my mother had taken me to see you. You turned us away. She had said that you were responsible for my existing and that she had wanted to see if you could help. I remember that look of disdain. The one you have just remembering me. I'm glad you turned us down if I was to have an attitude like that."

And without even looking back she turned on her heel and stormed from the room. She made her way into Dr. McCoy's office. She was still boiling mad but she tried to take calming breaths. McCoy heard her and looked up. His eyes widened. She knew she must look a state but damn it she was mad.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"He's awake."

McCoy's jaw clenched and she could see his face turning an almost purple color. It was slightly alarming. He moved to storm out the door but she quickly stepped in his way.

"I'm gonna kill him."

She put her hands on his arms to try and calm him down. Though she would love to let him.

"Whoa, Leonard. He was scared. He had woken up in an unfamiliar place. Remember when I struck out at you?"

He looked down at her, his face slowly turning back to a normal color and he stepped back. She allowed her hands to drop.

"Remember how I said he seemed familiar?"

He nodded.

"I only remember a little bit. I was young, four years old, and my mother had taken me on a trip to India. She had told me that the man in there might be able to help me. That he had helped me to be born so he might help me now. I thought he was a doctor. He turned us away. Just so you know, he's got an ego the size of a planet. I was too little to know the details of the visit other than what I told you. I hope it helps."

He hugged her, holding her close and Liz sighed at the contact. This man had helped her. Leonard McCoy and her mother had helped shape her into who she was today. She was glad she hadn't had anything other than a passing acquaintance with the patient in the other room. She felt him kiss her on top of her head and smiled at the tender gesture.

"We'd better tell the captain he's awake."

They slowly pulled apart and he signaled for Jim to come down.

Upon his arrival the trio moved into the private room. Their visitor was sitting up in his biobed looking at his surroundings with interest.

"I'm Captain James T. Kirk of the United Starship Enterprise. You're aboard my ship as our guest. May I ask, who are you?"

There was amusement in the man's eyes as he watched them from his bed. His eyes lingered on Liz for a fraction longer but quickly returned to the captain.

"Khan."

"Just Khan?"

"Khan."

"I was wondering if you could tell me about your ship, your destination or mission?"

Liz watched Khan intently. He brought his hand up to his face showing weakness. He slowly looked at Kirk.

"I grow fatigued. If you will excuse me, I will answer your questions soon."

He turned to Dr. McCoy who nodded in agreement.

"Very well. I will come back in a few hours."

Jim nodded at them and started to leave but stopped at seeing Liz's neck. He frowned but Liz quickly jerked her head letting him know he'd find out later.

"Captain?"

He stopped and turned.

"I was once an engineer. I was wondering if I may review some technical schematics to help me adjust to this new time during my convalescence."

Jim moved over to the bed and pulled up a PADD from the tray next to it. He quickly showed Khan how to access basic engineering principals and history.

"If you need anything further I'm sure Miss Parker or Dr. McCoy can help."

"Thank you so much. I only hope to be as successful as your young nurse has become."

If Jim had noticed the tension he gave no sign of it as he left. The doctor stepped over to do a quick check on vitals and Liz handed him his tools silently. She kept her eyes straight forward not looking at anything in particular. She was pulling the blankets up on their "visitor" when his hand grabbed her wrist. It was still tender from when he had twisted it earlier and she hissed in pain.

McCoy's eyes flashed at Khan and he quickly let go.

"I was hoping to apologize to Elizabeth. I did not mean to harm her. I was unaware of my surroundings and had not realized that I was so rough with such a delicate woman."

McCoy glared even further. If Liz had been on the receiving end she would have been sent running. She sensed the situation was escalating out if control and put a placating hand on McCoy's shoulder but her attention was on Khan. Even if he was sincere, she didn't really believe him. He was lucid enough to recognize her. He knew what he was doing.

"It's alright. No hard feelings." She stated stiffly.

"I truly am sorry. For everything."

He almost looked like he meant it. She gave a forced smile and turned on her heel to leave. The doctor stayed a while longer. Liz moved to his office and spying a mirror she surveyed the damage. Her neck was covered in long thin bruises that were just forming. Half of her hair had come out of it's bun so it looked like she had half-way done bushy pigtails. She brought her hands up to fix the mess but could see that her left wrist had rapidly swollen and was now a puffy mess. It was possible she had received a small fracture.

"You alright Parker?"

She almost jumped out of her skin. Jim walked up to her surveying her injuries. His face full of concern.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"He did this?"

She nodded.

"Also, he knows me."

She quickly launched into the whole story and at the end she waited. Kirk was frowning, clearly thinking hard.

"Thanks for telling me. I need to talk to Spock and Lt. McGivers. Something about this seems off."

He strode out the door. Liz breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that he captain was smart enough to have noticed it. McCoy marched into his office with a med kit looking calmer but still mad. His face was flushed and she wondered for a moment what had gone on in Khan's room.

"Sit."

She perched on the edge of the couch and before she could say a word he was waving a scanner over her staring intently at the readout.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. I had a word with him. Told him to stay the hell away from you. I'm putting out notice that he is not to be left alone near you. I think Lt. McGivers should stay away as well. He's a little too interested in you in particular and I don't like it."

She felt a tingle on her neck and heard a hiss as a hypospray was gently depressed. She looked up at him questioningly.

"Analgesic and anti-inflammatory. He bruised your trachea, fractured the hyoid bone in your larynx, and burst multiple blood vessels along your neck. It's starting to swell pretty bad. Also, you have a hairline fracture of your ulna and some torn ligaments in your wrist. I'm gonna have to take you to an exam room and use the osteoregenerator and sedate you for a bit while it's working. I'll be able to minimize the damage to your neck too. Ok?"

Liz agreed and followed him into a private exam room and laid on the bed. She looked into his eyes and saw that he was still worried about her. She felt the hypospray and fell asleep holding his hand. She hoped he understood that she was fine.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hi! This chapter will be mostly from the perspectives of Captain Kirk and Marla McGivers. I hope it's ok. You'd be surprised how hard it is to write crazy and desperate. I had to modify it from the "Space Seed" episode slightly because of two reasons. 1. This crew is a lot smarter than the other one. I just can't figure they'd lose complete control 2. I don't fully understand the weirdness of what Khan does and says to Marla so, it's my take. Please let me know if it's alright. Reviews are always loved. Even bad ones.**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Fourteen

Jim stormed from sickbay, his head buzzing. He needed answers and to get his answers, he needed Spock. The trip took too long in his opinion and he made a mental note to ask Scotty to see if he could speed up the turbolifts.

He walked on the bridge to see his crew working on the mystery of the Botany Bay. Spock was studying ship registrations from 1992-1997 while Chekov was comparing reports on the enhanced supermen to their death and capture lists. Uhura was translating and forwarding the ones not in english to them and Sulu was manning the bridge, allowing them to do their research.

"Gentlemen...and lady."

He added a wink to the communications officer causing her to roll her eyes.

"This Khan man...any ideas? He's enhanced. That much is for certain. He's also assaulted a member of my crew."

Spock looked up from his files.

"I have been unable to locate any records, registration or even mention of a ship by the name SS Botany Bay."

Chekov stepped forward.

"Keptin, I have noticed an inconsistency in the files concerning the genetically enhanced humans, or augments, as they were called. The history files listed the augments that were killed or placed in custody and separate files listed the augments when they were in power and alive. I compared the lists of the names and noticed a total of 84 names that were unaccounted for. That number matches the number of people on the sleeper ship."

Kirk nodded, walking over to Uhura hoping she had more. She grinned and pulled up a file. The screen showed the same man lying in their medical ward only he was a couple years younger, hair pulled back and he was wearing a deep crimson jumpsuit inlaid with gold trim. Uhura looked pleased with the discovery.

"Khan Noonien-Singh. As he was in 1994 when he was in control of more than a quarter of the world, from Asia to the Middle East. He ruled mercilessly with an iron fist however, there were fewer uprisings and massacres under his rule than that of the other augments. Less freedom too. He went missing in July 1996. That's pretty much all I was able to locate from the files. The records from that time were pretty sparse."

Spock looked impressed and Chekov's jaw dropped. Uhura's smile grew bigger at being able to one up the two geniuses. Kirk's smile grew. He looked like he'd hooked a big fish.

"Alright, we got him. One last thing, can you cross reference Liz's name with his and see if there's any correlation. You may need to use the mother's name."

They all looked puzzled. Spock spoke up.

"Captain, is Miss Parker alright? I would conclude that she was the injured crew member."

His smile quickly turned into a frown. His anger returning as he saw the marks on Liz's body in his mind.

"You conclude correctly. She's ok. She's receiving treatment now. I want a guard placed on him as soon as possible. He could be dangerous. Also, he seems to know Crewman Parker. I want a guard put on her too. I don't want her getting hurt again. I don't know how he knows her and neither does she but I'm not too comfortable with this."

They all nodded in agreement.

Marla checked herself in the mirror one last time before heading out to meet him. She had read about him and seen him but to meet him was a dream of hers. She knew who he was the moment she saw him. To see such an icon from history, alive, was incredible. She clutched her PADD close to her as she nervously walked through the sickbay back to the private room she knew he was in. She nodded to the guard that had been placed at the entrance and was grudgingly allowed in.

She waited for the door to close completely before lifting her eyes to see him. He was magnificent. Eagerly, she walked over and pulled a chair next to his bed. He was watching her with what she hoped was fascination. He smiled at her. She couldn't help but blush.

"Hello...I'm..."

"Marla McGivers. I've been able to see much in your computer. It did not tell me there were beautiful women."

He slid off the bed moving slowly around the room ending up next to her. So close, she could feel the heat from him.

"I was hoping to ask you some questions. About your ship, your mission."

"There are always questions."

His hands slowly moved to touch her shoulders. She leaned into the contact. Gently, they moved up to her hair and she could feel him slowly pulling her pins out. Her curls slowly falling to her shoulders.

"You look even more beautiful like this. Soft. Natural."

She slowly turned to him wanting to kiss him. He was everything she had read about him. Confident, strong and intelligent enough to already understand their computer systems. He took her chin in his hands and she could see his eyes, full of fire and passion.

"I heard you participated in my rebirth."

She tried to turn away but found his grip tightened.

"Yes. It was impressive. A normal man would never have survived."

He leaned forward.

"And my people?"

"Seventy-four survived. Thirty of them, women. They will be revived when we reach star base 12."

He moved forward and she felt his lips on hers. He kissed her deeply and she found herself lost. She already knew she loved him. Her hands moved up his back feeling the strong muscles and she shivered in excitement. She wanted him and she would do almost anything for him. He slowly pulled away and she was dizzy. Her heart drumming like crazy. She had to have him.

"I need my people. I need this ship. I need you."

She wanted to help him. She had never felt like this before.

"Anything."

Khan smiled at her and she could feel her knees go weak. She showed him how to gain access to the computer and gave him the codes to create a biohazard lockdown to make it so all crew members would have to report to quarters. He quickly adapted it to be able to lock the bridge off. She was amazed. They set the program to start in 2 hours. It would be enough time for her to remove the guard. She left reluctantly and promised to return.

As she left the medical bay her hands were shaking. She located a weapons locker and grabbed two phasers and quickly tucked them into her uniform. She rushed to the transporter room. She was fortunate there was only a technician there.

"I need to go to the ship for some research materials."

He looked up and seeing her, he nodded. She stepped on the platform and was pleased when she materialized onto the Botany Bay. Khan had shown her how to activate the sleeper compartments. He only needed 20 of his people for now. Too many would be a risk. The power distribution change would draw attention to what they were doing.

She waited for them to wake. Unlike Khan, there were no problems. Soon she was joined by 12 men and two women. One of the men moved forward. He had a feral look in his eyes and she had to raise her phaser to get him to stop.

"Khan sent me. He wants us to take the ship out there. Are you going to help?"

"Yes."

"I will bring you aboard soon."

Marla waited for a moment and signaled for transport. She felt the tingling sensation and found herself back in the transporter room. She checked the time. 15 minutes. She had to hurry. She sped down the corridor to sickbay and walked into Khan's room.

He was waiting for her. He stood with his chin up and his chest out smiling at her. She felt heat creep up her neck in excitement. Her hands were fumbling as she handed him his weapon.

"You are impressive. I know you will do amazing things."

"As long as I'm with you. I have to go back to the transporter room to get the others. Time's almost up. What are you going to do?"

Khan paused for a moment but quickly looked back at her. His eyes bright.

"I will take this ship. I will also take Miss Parker. She will be coming with us."

"Why?"

"I will explain later, when there is more time. Go."

She almost stopped but she knew he only wanted her. At the door to the transporter room she heard the alarms blare and the standardized voice break through.

_"There has been a biohazard containment breach. All personnel, please report to your quarters. Repeat. All personnel, please report to your quarters. You will be sealed in for your safety."_

He had done it. He truly was amazing.

Liz had just regained consciousness as the alarms started going off. It felt like it was drilling into her head. She was dizzy from the pain medication and wanted to go back to sleep but she couldn't. Something was wrong.

"Leonard? Wuzzgoinon?"

Her mind fuzzy, she could barely think straight.

"Hang on. I don't want to but I'll give you a small stimulant to help you wake up faster. I might need your help if there has been a breach."

She felt a hiss and a tingle on her neck and her mind started to clear. She noticed that her wrist was wrapped but healed and her neck was just a little stiff but she was alright. There was also a security guard in her room.

"What'd I do?"

He patted her hand absently while his eyes were focused on the computer next to her.

"Nothing. Jim just wanted to make sure that you'd be safe."

She heard a thump and a muffled cry outside her door. Her eyes widened in alarm as the door opened. Before the security guard could raise his weapon Khan stunned him. Liz jumped off the bed backing up and McCoy stood in front of her trying to block her from him. She was terrified. Khan's face was merciless as he quickly disposed of the doctor in front of her.

"Leonard!"

Ignoring the fact this man had his weapon now pointed at her she ran to him. She was afraid he was dead. Numb fingers felt for a pulse and she quickly found one. She only had a moment of relief before a strong arm wrenched her up and her face was not even an inch from his. His face was set in determination and it was even more frightening than the phaser he held near her side.

"You will come with me."

"No."

He did not respond well. His face showed disgust as he roughly pulled her to the side and aimed his phaser at McCoy on he floor, switching the stun setting for a kill setting.

"You will come with me or he dies."

Ice flooded through her. He knew. Somehow, he knew. She felt the blood drain from her face and she couldn't help but shake in his grip. When he felt her tremble his grip tightened painfully causing her to gasp.

"Why? Why me?" She hissed through her teeth.

"Didn't you know? You are one of us. You were one of the few children born through the genetics program. Your mother wanted a perfection. I had thought you were a failure because of your premature birth and deafness but I now realize it was because of the incompetence of doctors. You had not been able to receive full treatment. Have you never wondered why you were so quick to learn? So bright? It's because of me. And now you will help rebuild our empire."

She felt disgust and tried to pull away but his grip was like iron and she knew she was quickly bruising under his grasp. He dragged her from the room and put her in another, shoving her to where she went skidding. Legs flailing, she flipped around but found the door closing in her face and the door sealed. All she could do was pound her fists uselessly on the door.

Kirk heard the alarm and knew that this was bad. His head whipped around.

"Communications are jammed."

"The bridge is sealed."

All eyes were on him. He clenched his fists in fury. This was Khan. A voice came over the intercom confirming his suspicions.

"Captain Kirk. I'm sorry for the interruption in your plans for me but I have plans of my own. I have control of your ship. As you can see."

Kirk's head snapped over to Spock and Chekov.

"Code the helm and navigation. Now!"

They jumped and both of them started typing, fingers flying, coding it so that only they could fly the ship. Moments later, both Chekov and Spock nodded. Khan may have his ship but it damn well wasn't going anywhere!

There was a pause in his speech. Though environmental was an easily accessible system, Kirk had known there was no way for him to have been able to rewrite everything.

"I demand that you surrender the bridge. You will see that I have control of your environmental systems and I have started removing the oxygen. I am willing to negotiate."

Kirk's head turned to Spock.

"Confirmed. He has taken control of engineering and rerouted environmental and medical control through his station. Almost all personnel are sealed in their quarters."

Spock pulled up security footage showing his crew leaving to adhere to the alarm and a group of red clad men and women rushing in with Khan at the lead.

"Your air should be getting quite thin."

"I will not negotiate with you." Kirk's hands gripped the back of his chair. The edges of his vision starting to go black. He heard muffled thumps as crew members started to lose consciousness. He knew it would be soon. He could feel his chest tightening and he started to fall.

"You b..."


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi! I haven't heard a lot so I hope that the last chapter was alright. Marla's and Kirk's perspective will be prevalent. This will be the climax of KHAAAAAN! I've based a lot of it on the episode and put my twist on it. I hope it's liked! It was fun writing it. I think the next couple of chapters I might mess with Kirk and Spock more. They haven't been hurt yet. Also, just got to say, I don't own Star Trek. I'm just borrowing it. Reviews are always loved!**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Fifteen

Once Khan had released the hold on the bridge, her and five of his people came up to the bridge to find the crew unconscious. They started moving them to the conference room. It was determined that Kirk would be taken to the medical bay. She didn't understand what they were planning but she trusted Khan. He had told her that he wouldn't kill any of them.

She only had to wait moments before the crew started to come to. Spock, Sulu, Uhura, Chekov slowly raised themselves into sitting positions.

"Now wait jus' a minute! I'll no' be helpin you!"

The doors slid open to reveal Scotty being shoved in by Gatto. One of Khan's lieutenants. He gave the group a chilling smile before he took his place near the door. Scotty slid down next to the group.

"Where's th' cap'n at?" He whispered to Uhura.

She shook her head. The next entrance brought Dr. McCoy who looked like he was in discomfort but was relatively unharmed and Khan with a phaser in one hand pointed forward and Liz, gripped tightly in the other. One half of her was almost lifted off the ground and her face was screwed up in pain and anger.

He placed her on the other side of the room across from the senior staff. Spock looked at her and raised an eyebrow in query. She stayed silent. Marla watched the scene and was puzzled herself but she stayed silent as well.

"I believe you are the communications officer?"

Khan pointed to Uhura. She sat, quietly defiant. Khan pointed at one of his men and then at her. He moved quickly grabbing the woman and roughly dragged her to a standing position and flung her into a chair near the controls for the display.

"I demand the codes to move this ship. If you join me, like Ms. McGivers, you will find it rewarding. If you do not...activate the view screen!"

Uhura looked to Spock who nodded slowly. She typed in the codes and the screen showed Kirk in a medical chamber. They knew what it was. It was the decompression tank. He was leaning against the wall breathing slowly. The senior staff were looking on horrified.

"I see now that killing you together was a mistake. It has brought a sense of...herioc camaraderie. However, watching it and knowing you could stop it is another matter."

Khan looked around satisfied. The crew just stared back. Marla could see he was getting irritated.

"I will kill each and every one of this crew until I get those codes, starting with your captain. You may wish to hurry. You are running out of time."

Marla could see Kirk becoming weaker. Khan had told her he wouldn't kill. She couldn't let the captain die.

"Khan, there's no reason I have to watch this, is there?"

He turned to her. His expression softening but there was disappointment evident in his eyes. It stung.

"I had hoped you would be stronger. You may go."

He dismissed her with a quick wave and she strode out. The second the doors shut behind her she ran to the sickbay. Her legs pumping furiously, she hoped she was not too late. The lift moved slowly and when she finally arrived she was pleased there was only one guard. She quietly moved to the computer terminal and shut down the camera and slowly walked up to the man guarding the entrance to the chamber. He looked at her in surprise and she smiled before whipping out her phaser and stunning him.

She knew she only had moments. She tapped at the switches to bring the oxygen and pressure back up. Looking in the window, she could see Kirk's body starting to relax. He was taking deep breaths and she sighed in relief.

"I've saved your life. Please don't kill him."

McCoy watched in horror as his medical bay was being turned into a place of murder and torture. It made him sick. He was almost thankful when the screen went blank. He couldn't stand seeing him suffer.

"We've lost the signal."

Khan waved off the man and strode across the room to Liz.

"It doesn't matter. Your captain is dead."

Tears were silently running down Liz's face, Chekov shook his head and Sulu frowned at Khan, Uhura put her face in her hands and Spock merely looked at their captor. Bones had never seen a room with so many different reactions in his life. He didn't know what to believe. He saw the indicator lights showing almost a vacuum but when the monitor stopped working there was still a chance. He mirrored Spock's lack of response.

Khan stood near the girl who was crying silently and face the group of Starfleet officers.

"Now, you must be wondering why I would have Miss Parker here, separate from all of you. She is wearing the same uniform as you. She looks the same."

He dragged her up by the front of her shirt almost lifting her off her feet. She hung limp and faced away, hands in the pockets of her pants. He felt anger flare up and he clenched his fists. His best friend was possibly dead and now he was going to kill Liz. Spock put a restraining hand on him sensing his movement. He stilled and Spock spoke up.

"She is one of us and always will be, no matter what she is or what you have done or will do to her."

"She is product of genetic engineering, like myself. She didn't know,of course, but she is one of us."

Khan's free hand grabbed her chin and jerked it to make her face him. He moved closer and was staring into her face as he spoke his next words.

"You will join us. You were given this opportunity so that you can help us achieve greatness. You will decode the computer."

"Never." And she spat in his face.

He didn't even flinch. He just smiled back at her.

"We'll see. If you don't, the next to die is your beloved doctor. Go and say good bye as you think about it."

He almost threw her at him. McCoy stood and caught her tumbling back to the ground. She wrapped herself around him, her bushy hair obstructing his face and he almost jumped when he felt a hand in his pocket.

"Don't move. Sedative from earlier that still was in my pocket. Maybe it'll help." She quickly whispered in his ear. He had to twist his face back into a neutral look as Khan yanked her off him. He jerked her hair forcing her head up to look at him. She gasped in pain.

"I can't help you. Number one, because I have no training in the computers and number two, I hate you and what you stand for. I will never join you."

"Are you sure?"

"Go to hell." She hissed.

Khan signaled for McCoy to be taken away and he allowed himself to be led. He gave one last look to Liz and gave her a tight smile. She could only look out of the corner of her eyes as Khan still had a hand twisted in her hair but he thought he heard a faint laugh come from her before he was ushered out.

He entered the sickbay at phaser point and put his hands in his pockets feeling the hypo. He twisted the dial to the maximum dosage, his heart hammering as adrenalin flooded into him. They walked into the alcove where the decompression chamber was situated and his head down he gripped the device tightly. Suddenly he heard a thump behind him and saw Jim kick the phaser out of the man's hand. He had quickly recovered from the surprise though and raised his hands shoving Jim against the other wall trying to choke him.

This was his chance. He whipped out the shot and quickly depressed the button on the man's neck. The man swung an arm back knocking him in his stomach. He felt the air rush out of him as he fell, hitting the wall on his way down. He snapped his head up and he saw his would be executioner suddenly slump and fall.

Jim rushed over smiling and pulled him up.

"There are times when I had wondered if you carried those damn things everywhere. Come on Bones. Let's go get our ship back."

They ran down the corridor to a computer. McCoy didn't know what he was planning and saw him pull up the intruder control circuit. He needed McCoy's code in addition to his. He quickly typed it in.

"We're gonna flood all decks except this one with anesthazine gas."

They each grabbed a filter mask and put it on their faces and Kirk hit the activate button.

Khan heard a hissing sound coming from the vents and saw the people closest start to drop. He knew he had to get to engineering. He flung the girl to the floor as hard as he could and ran from the room covering his face. He pulled up the computer on an access panel and was able to vent the gas enough to create a path to engineering. He ran as fast as he could, heart beat increasing with every step. He would not be defeated.

Kirk made it to the conference room with McCoy in tow. Most of the crew was unconscious. Only Spock moved. He was laying with one hand on Uhura and one hand checking Liz. He saw with detachment that both her arms were at odd angles and there was a pool of blood coming from a cut on her head. She was face down. McCoy rushed to her side and carefully turned her to her side.

"She's alive Jim."

Kirk nodded and turned to Spock.

"Khan?"

"He left, captain. Possibly to engineering."

Jim jerked his head in understanding and moved to engineering as fast as he could. He slowed when he came to the entrance, phaser at the ready. He could see 2 of Khan's men slumped over controls. He moved in and was slammed into the wall. Khan ripped off Kirk's mask and grabbed his phaser, ripping it from his hands.

Jim put his hands up slowly and Khan looked at him in fury. He used his hands and snapped the phaser into pieces. Kirk was surprised and a little intimidated but now Khan didn't have a phaser.

"Nothing ever changes. Except man. Your technical devices. Improve a machine and your productivity doubles. Improve man, and you gain a thousandfold. I am such a man. You cannot defeat me with your machines. As you can see, I've initiated a warp core overload."

Kirk's eyes flew to the indicators and sure enough they were slowly approaching red. Kirk's fury rose and he lunged at Khan with a growl. He was flung aside and Kirk sprang back, kicking. Khan, almost lazily backhanded him.

"I believe the explosion would be as powerful as a thousand suns. Surrender and I will stop it."

Kirk's eyes narrowed.

"So the great man you claim to be is resorting to petty terrorism." He spat.

He stayed low on the ground and could feel a broken pipe behind him. His hands slowly moved and he closed his fingers around it.

"I AM a great man. I have five times your strength. You have lost Kirk. Accept defeat like a man. I do not enjoy killing."

Jim shifted his stance and looked up, smiling.

"I'm James T Kirk. I will never accept defeat."

He rapidly swung the pipe from behind him with as much power as he could and it made contact with Khan's head with a sickening smack. He fell down and didn't get up. Stumbling over he made sure Khan was out and then walked over to the engineering controls shutting down the overload. He could hear the whine of the engine subside and stop. His hands were trembling and his legs unsteady as he slumped to the floor. His face swelling and he knew a few of his ribs were cracked.

He heard footsteps approaching rapidly and slowly lifted his head to see Spock and Scotty rush in wearing filter masks. They both kneeled in front of him. He gave them a grin as they placed one on him.

"Are ya hurt cap'n?"

"I'm fine."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and smiled wider. He let Scotty pull him up.

"Scotty? The engines are all yours again." He patted him on the back as he left to see if any damage had been done. Spock was kneeling down and tying Khan up. Kirk looked down and shook his head.

"He really was a piece of work."

"Indeed."

Spock stood and they moved to the others, quickly securing them.

"Captain, what are we going to do with them? And with Lieutenant McGivers?"

Kirk shrugged his shoulders.

"I'll have to think about it. I don't think they'd do well in a rehabilitation colony. There's too much risk."

"Agreed."

Together, he and Spock moved though the Enterprise rounding up Khan's men. Once they were sure they had caught them all they were able to turn off the anesthazine gas and let the crew wake up.

Kirk sat behind the table in the conference room, still going over his idea when security brought Kahn and Lt. McGivers in. Kirk looked up and nodded acknowledgement.

Uhura pressed the recording button.

"Recording, sir."

Kirk watched Khan and Marla sit. Spock tensed on one side and Scotty on the other gave them an angry look.

"This hearing is now in session. Under the authority vested in me by Starfleet command...I declare all charges and specifications in this area are dropped."

Scotty's head flipped around to look at him. Shock evident on his face. Khan and Marla looked at each other in puzzlement and then turned to face the captain.

"Cap'n...agreed you have the authority but..."

"Commander Spock, I believe our heading takes us near the Ceti-Alpha star system."

Spock nodded.

"Quite correct, Captain. Planet number five is inhabitable, if a bit savage."

Kirk smiled, looking to Khan who looked pleased.

"But no more so than Australia's Botany Bay colony in the beginning. Those people went on to tame a continent, Mr. Khan. Can you tame a world?"

The challenge was set and Khan smiled back, accepting it.

"Have you ever read Milton, captain?"

"Yes, I understand."

He took a deep breath and turned his attention to his wayward crew member.

"Lt. McGivers, given a choice between court martial or going with them there..."

He paused. Waiting for her reply when Khan spoke.

"It will be a struggle at first. Even to survive, to find food."

They looked at each other for a moment and she slowly turned toward him.

"I will go with him, sir."

Kirk had a feeling that would be her answer. Khan looked at him with a proud look in his eyes.

"A truly superior woman. I will take her... And I've gotten something I've wanted. A world to win. An empire to build."

"This hearing is closed."

Khan asked one final question.

"And Elizabeth?"

He took a deep breath and answered.

"She will stay with us. Her loyalty is to the Enterprise and her crew, regardless of what she is, she has made her choice.

A look of mutual respect passed between them before they were escorted out of the briefing room. Once the door shut, Lt. Cmdr. Scott turned to him.

"It's a shame for a good Scotsman to admit but I'm not up on Milton."

He slowly turned to face his engineer.

"Milton wrote the statement when Lucifer fell into the pit. "It is better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven."."

Scotty shook his head in bewilderment and left. Spock turned to him.

"We will be arriving soon. I will tend to the supplies for them and fill out my report for Starfleet. I will have to include the discovery of Miss Parker's origins."

Kirk placed his hand in his chin. He could feel exhaustion creeping up on him.

"I will also include the report on her bravery, ingenuity in assisting us and her loyalty."

A small laugh escaped his throat.

"Thank you, Spock. Any news on her condition?"

The commander let a small frown cross his features before he replied.

"I believe Dr. McCoy has just finished surgery. She had severe inter cranial bleeds from the impact to the floor and her arms were both severely shattered. It will take several rounds of osteoregeneration before they will be functional again and the doctor is keeping her in a medically induced coma to allow her to heal. The outlook is unsure."

Jim nodded and put his head in his hands wondering if he did the right thing letting them go. He knew that putting Khan and his people in a rehabilitation center would put more people at risk. They'd have access to technology and could easily hurt more people but it felt like Khan had won a victory over him by getting his world. The weight of Liz's injuries and possible death was so much to bear.

"Thank you, Spock."

He dismissed him and he heard him leave. He stayed where he was until he felt a small warm hand on his shoulder. He jerked up and came face to face with Uhura. She had tears fighting to escape her eyes and he knew she understood how he felt.

"You couldn't have known, Captain. She'll be alright. Dr. McCoy will stop at nothing to be sure she'll be alright."

"Yeah. I know."


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello! Thank you so much for the kind reviews! It really makes me so happy. I wanted to remain as close as possible to the Khan portrayed in the original series. He was an interesting baddie for me because he had potential to do so much good but he had one heck of an ego being genetically enhanced. It was fun to write it. Thank you!**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Sixteen

McCoy sat back in the chair by Liz's bed, sighing. He rubbed tired hands over his face. Her face was so pale. Her hair was gone and her head was swathed in bandages with medical equipment covering it. Vascular regenerators, neural stabilizers, and electroencephalographic monitors. Her arms were in traction while the bones were slowly being repaired and IV bags hung, tethered to her arm. An oxygen mask helped to assist the life support functions of the bed. She was so still.

Even though he knew it wouldn't hurt her, he was afraid to touch her. The damage had been severe. The force of Khan's throw had fractured her skull and caused severe intercranial bleeding and swelling. It had taken hours to stabilize her and even now she was far from stable. Her EEG showed spikes and waves indicating seizures. He settled himself in for a long watch. He didn't want her to be alone.

"Doctor McCoy?"

He felt a small, warm hand on his shoulder and he slowly opened his eyes. Disappointment came through when he remembered that it wasn't Liz. His head nurse had come to wake him. He stretched his stiff limbs and looked over at Liz's monitors. Stable but no change.

"Yes, Chris?" He asked gruffly.

Her blond hair was disheveled and there were dark circles under her normally bright blue eyes. The just looked dull and McCoy wondered how long she had been up. He knew she always took it hard when her nurses got hurt. He smiled a small smile. He was curious as to when Chapel started to think of Liz as one of her nurses.

"The captain is waiting in your office. He tried to come earlier but I told him you were busy."

Chapel was careful in her phrasing. She didn't want to let him know that she had physically dragged him out because it had been the first time McCoy had fallen asleep in the past twenty-four hours. That she had screamed at Kirk when she found out about the fate of the augments. McCoy didn't need to know his head nurse was a wreck at this point.

He slowly stood up and attempted to straighten his rumpled shirt. His face was full of stubble and he felt like hell. He turned to Chapel and pulled her into a tight hug. She stiffened before relaxing into it.

"Go get some sleep. Liz will be fine."

He let her go and patted her back. She nodded at his dismissal and slowly left. Moving to his office, he felt numb.

"Bones, how is she?"

Jim was sitting on his couch when he arrived. His face was lined with worry making him look much older than his 27 years.

"She's stable. Khan caused a lot of damage. There was a lot of bleeding and swelling in her brain and it is under control but I'm not sure how bad the damage is until she wakes up. Her arms will take a good week before the bone is repaired and it'll be a good month of physical therapy before she will regain decent use of them again."

McCoy said all of this with detachment. His mind still stuck on the sight of Liz lying there. His heart clenched at the memory and he felt his eyes sting as tears threatened to fall. He took a deep breath and pulled them back. He had to stay strong for her.

Jim came over and put a hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. He leaned into it, grateful for it and felt his muscles relax a little.

"Bones, is she going to be alright?" Jim asked.

He couldn't bring himself to say it so he shrugged. The truth was that the brain was an unknown. Even with technology today, a lot of it was still a mystery.

"She could wake up tomorrow or never. I really don't know. She's had a couple of grand mal seizures as well as partial complex seizures. I'm hopeful that they should stop now that she is stable. She's recovering quicker than average, so I'm hopeful."

Bones shifted and slowly sat at his desk across from his friend. His body sagged in exhaustion. When he sat, he quickly pulled up the monitors from Liz's bed so that they would be on in the background. Jim noticed the gesture and frowned.

"Bones, you need to get some sleep. Let M'Benga cover for you. You're no use to her like this."

"I'm fine, Jim. I've still got a bunch of work to do."

Jim smiled a tight smile and nodding, he pulled out a thermos. McCoy watched him in mild curiosity. He couldn't tell what was in it until Jim opened it.

"Tea?"

"Yeah. Nurse Chapel said to give it to you to help you relax. I think she's worried about you."

McCoy rolled his eyes.

"I think Nurse Chapel was born worrying about people. Maybe it's encoded in the damn nurses to worry about people."

Jim laughed as he pulled out two mugs and filled each one with a good measure of the liquid. He handed one to him and held his own. He was watching as McCoy sipped the warm liquid. It was chamomile, one of his favorites.

"It's good. Remind me to thank her."

Jim leaned back holding his mug and continued to watch him as he drank his tea. It really was good.

"Bones, why don't you come over here to the couch and sit next to me. I need to talk to you."

He gave him a skeptical look and quickly drained his tea before he sat down next to his friend. The edges of his vision was becoming blurry.

"What do you need to talk about?"

His eyelids started to droop and he could feel his arms getting heavier.

"I just want to know if you're ok?"

It was getting harder to hold his head straight and his eyes wouldn't stay open.

"Bones, you ok?"

His head started to fall back and Jim caught it, letting him lean against him.

"Yeah...I'm feelin' a little tired."

His eyes closed and he felt Jim's hands rubbing his shoulders.

"It's alright. I've got you."

Bones fell into his friend's lap asleep and Chapel poked her head in.

"Plan B, huh?"

Jim gave a weak smile.

"Yeah. Thanks Chapel. You know he's gonna be mad when he wakes up, right?"

"Yes but at least he'll feel better. His blood pressure is sky high with the stress he's putting himself through. Thank you, captain."

"No problem. Let me know when he wakes up Or if there's a change in Parker's status."

She gave a curt nod and left. He turned to his best friend currently snoring in his arms.

"Bones, you are one stubborn man!"

He gently laid him on he couch and pulled a blanket over him.

_"Bridge to Captain Kirk. There is a transmission for you from Admiral Braxton."_

Kirk sighed. When it rains, it pours.

"Alright, patch it through to McCoy's office."

He straightened his tunic, out of habit and sat behind the desk. The familiar Starflet emblem popped up before the screen changed to show an aging admiral. His face was serious and it set Kirk's nerves on edge.

"Admiral."

"Captain Kirk. I have received your reports on the Botany Bay."

Jim tensed. He knew that he was constantly being watched and evaluated. It was a blessing and a curse being the youngest Captain in Starfleet history. He gave a terse nod and waited for Braxton to continue.

"While I do not agree with your method of disposing of the augments that survived the eugenics war, abandoning them and leaving them to their own devices, I do understand why you did it. They are a risk. If your reports are accurate, they are ingenious enough to have been able to overwhelm the rehabilitation center."

Kirk studied the admiral. He wasn't sure if he was condemning his actions or praising them. He decided to go with neither.

"They are accurate, sir."

He pulled his shoulders straight and looked Brewster in the eye. There was more to discuss and Kirk knew it.

"Now, about your Miss Parker. I believe that Commander Spock's statement on this incident told us that she was genetically altered as well."

Kirk's body tensed and he felt a wave of indignation. They couldn't honestly believe that she was a danger to them.

"Yes, sir. I do believe that all of the reports also stated that she refused to join Khan and she actually risked her life to help us to retake the ship. She did not know of her enhanced status until they had told her and her beliefs were evident as she showed loyalty to this crew and it's mission. She upheld the highest beliefs of the Federation and I do not believe that she should be held accountable for something that was done to her before she was even born, sir."

Kirk's heart was hammering in his chest and his palms were sweating but he gave no outward sign of his anxiety. He knew that Liz's life here would depend on him showing a calm and cool head even though he didn't feel it.

"She was injured in the attempt?"

"Yes. Severely. Khan threw her to the ground when the doctor and I managed to start to retake the ship. When he realized she would be of no use to him."

"How severe?"

Kirk's face grew hot in anger and he took a deep breath.

"Captain?"

The admiral's face softened and Jim could see a hint of worry. He wondered if he was seeing what he was hoping for rather than what was actually happening.

"Very bad. There was severe trauma to her brain from where her head had hit the floor and both of her arms were shattered as well. We're waiting for when she wakes up to asses the damage."

Braxton leaned back and sighed deeply, shaking his head.

"Captain, I need your opinion on this matter. Is Miss Parker loyal? Can she be trusted?"

"Yes."

The admiral leaned forward, his hands clasped in front of him, leading Jim to suspect the worst.

"I believe that in the aspect of Federation security that this incident should remain classified. The planet should be listed as a quarantined and Liz's status as an augment stricken from the record. I don't believe that anybody needs to know of another superman bent on destroying everything we've worked so hard to build is around."

His mouth dropped and eyebrows shot up in utter disbelief. Relief flooded him and he couldn't help but laugh. The admiral sat up straight in his chair watching Kirk indignantly but patiently.

"Thank you, Admiral."

"Captain. I also believe that the less attention paid to Parker, the better. I'm giving her an honorary commission if she wants it. Status of ensign. This way, she will "get lost in the shuffle" if you understand my meaning."

Jim smiled and nodded.

"Aye sir."

"I will send you the documents via subspace as well as a commendation for her part in retaking the ship. I am trusting your judgement Kirk. Braxton out."

Jim just shook his head and walked over to Liz's prone form. He put a hand out and held hers. She didn't respond.

"Liz, it's time to come back to us. You've even impressed an admiral. They're gonna let you stay and now you're an officer. An ensign. You're worrying Bones and me. Please wake up."

He gave her hand a small kiss and held it a minute longer before setting out to receive Braxton's orders. They all needed her to wake up but it would just take time.


	17. Chapter 17

**Boy, do I love reviews and messages! It helps me want to continue. I was considering if it was Liz's time to end. You know, tragedy, but I felt bad that she didn't at least get to...you know, have a little more romance plus I kind of felt bad for McCoy. Ideas and thoughts of those who are sticking with me are always welcome. **

**Tishbing**

Chapter Seventeen

Days turned into a week and then two. Dr. McCoy stayed by Liz's bed only to leave when he had a patient or his nurse threw him out. He only ate when food was put in front of him and slept when he was forced to. He knew that if she didn't wake soon she would have to be placed in a federation facility. His heart ached at the thought of leaving her behind. She had risked everything for them and he couldn't even get her to wake up. Her arms had healed without incident but without her participation the physical therapy was pointless. Her muscles were beginning to weaken as she lay there, unmoving.

He slowly made his way to her bed. It was an ingrained habit at this point. He walked to her and sat in his spot. Nurse Baker quietly handed him a cup of coffee and left. He sipped the bitter liquid as he read her care notes from the previous night. They had rotated her due to pressure sores developing at the base of her spine and they had increased her protein to try and help save her muscles. One minor epileptic event, complex partial, was noted and easily treated.

He sighed and put the PADD down and held her hand. Her fingers were getting thinner and so were her arms. He just didn't have the equipment here to handle her needs.

"Liz, you've gotta come back. I...love you."

He knew she probably didn't hear him but he talked to her anyway. He was waiting for his nurses to call the men in white coats to take him away but he still tried.

"Doctor? Ensign Jarvis has burned his hand and we need your help.'

Jenni poked her head around the corner and he stood, grumbling about clumsy engineers.

"I'll be back soon."

He patted her hand before he left.

It had taken two hours to repair Jarvis's burns. Fool had chemical burns from not sealing a container before moving it. He walked back to Liz's bed and pulled out the PADD to look at her readings. They were different. The EEG showed a marked increase in activity, like that of an awake adult. He slowly brought his eyes up to see Liz's bright green eyes staring at him.

"Oh, God!" McCoy sobbed.

He smiled and touched her face, careful of the equipment on her.

"Liz! You came back."

He started crying as he put his head on her chest. A small moan escaped her as she felt the weight on her chest. He quickly pulled up and started stroking her short hair smiling through tears.

"Baker! Get in here!"

Jenni ran in hearing the commotion and smiled at seeing McCoy so happy.

"Tell everyone she's awake. I've got to start checking her over."

He quickly wiped his face and grabbed his medical scanner, running it over her body. He winced when he saw how severe the muscle atrophy had started to get but it wouldn't be long before she was up and running.

He looked own at her and smiled. Her expression was one of confusion. It scared him. He didn't know how much damage had happened from her injury.

"Liz, do you know who I am?"

She squinted her eyes at him and frowned. His breathing stopped as he waited.

"Yesss."

He almost jumped up and down with joy but he still had to asses her.

"Do you know where you are?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now can you move your feet?"

He moved down to the end of the bed an felt a small wiggle. He was very happy with the good sign. He then moved to her arms which had even less motion but that was normal considering the damage and then the lack of movement. He checked her reflexes and though a little slow, were normal.

"How long?"

Liz's voice was weak and breathy but to Leonard, it was a beautiful sound. He held her hand.

"Sixteen days. You were asleep for a long time. I wasn't sure you were gonna wake up."

He felt tears stinging his eyes and he let them fall. Simply saying how long she had been in a coma hurt him.

"I'm tired."

He laughed a little through a sob.

"Haven't you slept enough?"

He wiped his eyes with the heel of his hand quickly to see her better. Her eyelids started to droop and she drifted off with a smile on her lips. Seeing that, he felt like a puppet with it's strings cut. He sagged in relief and saw her EEG registering normal REM sleep patterns. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead.

He left her room and went to his office to schedule her new care procedures. Physical and occupational therapy, medication adjustments, plans for re-introducing solid foods again, and orders to remove the supportive equipment as her body was starting to take over. He was finishing the orders when he heard a shuffle at his office door.

Looking up, he saw Christine, Jim, Spock, and Sulu waiting. They looked excited but were nervously fidgeting. Well, Spock wasn't but he did look nervous. He waved for them to come in and they piled into his office.

"Bones, is she really awake?"

"Yeah. She's sleeping now though. It was a lot for her. She knows who I am, where she is and she was able to move a little but she's gonna need a while to recover."

He saw all of them smile and he couldn't help grinning. Jim walked over and slapped him on the back and he pulled Jim into a bear hug.

"I knew she'd make it."

"Thanks, Jim."

Spock moved forward.

"Your skills are truly impressive. I look forward to seeing Miss Parker back with us."

Sulu jumped up.

"When can we see her?"

Christine led them to her room with instructions to not disturb her and to not stay too long before heading back to Dr. McCoy's office.

"Leonard? I just wanted to check and see how you're doing?"

She moved to his couch and sat down, her eyes searching as she looked him over.

"I'm fine. I'm actually...fine."

He was focusing on typing up the exercises for Liz when he felt Christine put a hand on his shoulder. He stopped typing and looked up.

"What?"

She frowned in concern. She started rubbing his arm trying to calm him down.

"Leonard, you look like shit. If you don't get some rest, food and a shower and shave you're gonna scare Liz when she wakes up again."

Irritation flooded through and he felt his face grow hot at her words.

"I'm fine."

"Now Doctor! I will resort to cheap shots if I have to. Pun intended."

She emphasized the last words waving a hypospray at him. He shot her a dirty look before grumbling.

"I know when I'm beat."

"You know it!"

She shouted at his retreating back.

The lights were so bright and someone wouldn't stop poking at her. She grumbled and turned her head away from the annoyance. Whoever it was decided to become more insistent at their ministrations.

"Stop it."

She heard laughter and the prodding continued. She couldn't move her arms to hit the person as she really wanted to do right now. She just resorted to opening one eye and trying to find out just who was really getting on her bad side.

Squinting at the brightness that hit her she could see Dr. McCoy smiling at her.

"I thought you'd never wake up."

He practically bounced as he said the words. She groaned and turned away. He oozed happiness and hyperactivity while she felt like she had the worst hangover and only 2 hours of sleep after an all night bender.

"Oh no you don't Liz. You've got to wake up. It's been 12 hours since you were up last. You need to get moving."

He moved into her line of vision about an inch from her face. His brown eyes bright with excitement.

"You look better. What happened anyway?" She moaned.

She gave up trying to sleep. He definitely wasn't leaving her alone. He took her hand and started stretching her arm, moving the hand around. The movement brought pins and needles shooting up her arm. She hissed in pain and his head snapped to her.

"Too much pain?"

She smiled.

"No. It's uncomfortable but it's helping wake me up. You didn't answer me."

He took a deep breath and continued his manipulations of her limbs for a minute before talking to her.

"You hit your head when Khan threw you. It also shattered your radius, ulna, wrist joint and carpal bones. You had some bleeding in your brain and there was some swelling in your frontal and parietal lobes. You were in a coma for 16 days. During that time you had focal seizures that were difficult to control."

She felt tears falling but she ignored them.

"Liz? Too much pain?"

He started snapping his fingers in front of her bringing her back from her musings.

"I'm fine."

He frowned at her giving Liz the doctor look and she pulled on her best patient smile.

"Really, I'm fine."

He rolled his eyes and started to grumble about liars and she started laughing, feeling more like things were getting better. She knew he was only happy when he was complaining.

"Thank you."

He stopped.

"For what?"

"For saving my life."

He patted her arm and told her about the plans for her therapies.

Three days later, Liz had graduated to a wheelchair and her arm movement had improved but her hand control was abysmal. She was getting frustrated. All she could do was use her arms to guide the chair but not to eat or type. She was tired of the walls of her room. Christine had suggested a trip out and though she wanted out of her room, she didn't want people to see her like an invalid with a nurse following her. Her hair had been grown back by stimulating her hair follicles and the nurses were nice enough to dress her in scrubs rather than the embarrassing gown but it was still humiliating. She looked up at the clock above her door and noticed it was shift change.

She thought about taking a small trip around. She needed time away from the medical side of her current life. She pressed the lever and went through the door slowly. She peeked around the corner and saw Leonard talking with Geoff M'Benga and Chris was updating the evening shift of nurses. Jenni's bright green eyes spotted her and for a moment Liz's heart stopped thinking that she was gonna stop her. She mouthed please, I need a break.

She slowly moved her chair closer o the entrance, still watching Jenni and when she was ready to move through the door she saw the red head give her a big smile and a nod. She mouthed a quick thanks and set off. She moved through the corridors thankful they were empty and got to the lift. It took her a few tries to get the right button pressed for the observation deck but she finally arrived.

She glided through and couldn't find an empty room and she was starting to feel frustrated when she spotted the captain leaving one of the rooms. She turned to go back.

"Liz! Wait!"

He ran up to her stopping in front to where she couldn't get around him.

"Hi, captain. Didn't see you."

He smiled and leaned forward. His eyes sparkling.

"You sneaked out didn't you?"

She squared her shoulders and met his look with a frown.

"No."

He laughed throwing his head back. She couldn't help it. He was contagious. She started a guilty giggle.

"I've done the same thing a million times to Bones myself. He's gonna be pissed when he finds you and trust me, he will."

She rolled her eyes and smirked.

"Can you help...you know...stall him a bit?"

A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes making him seem like a kid in a candy store. She honestly thought he was gonna do it.

"I'm sorry Liz. I value my life too. He's crazy about you and he'll kill me if I hide you. The most I can do is just avoid his questioning."

He smiled at her and wheeled her into the observation room he had vacated and sat next to her.

"Want to talk about it?"

The view was amazing. The stars that were going by were just streaks of light. It always surprised her just how beautiful it looked. The amazing advances that humanity made from when she was a little girl was shocking. The stars seemed close enough to touch and she was able to be out here among them.

"Liz?"

She jumped and turned to Jim who was watching her. She'd forgotten he was there.

"I'm sorry. I just love looking at the stars. I haven't seen them in a while."

She gave him a maudlin smile.

"Yeah, Bones doesn't like it too much. How are you?"

She sighed and looked back at the stars.

"I'm fine. I just don't like being like this. I want to be back to normal now and it's frustrating."

Jim frowned and opened his mouth but Liz stopped him when she put her arm up.

"I know I sound ungrateful and I know it'll take time but I just can't help it."

He put his hand on her arm.

"That's not what I was going to say. I was going to tell you that I've felt the same when I've been hurt and it's normal to feel like that. And that you're going to be up and around in no time. Dr. McCoy is the best there is and he won't stop until you're back to normal."

She put her head on his hand and he pulled her into a gentle hug. She could feel the warmth of him against her and she relaxed. She felt better talking to someone about her feelings rather than about what her body was feeling. She didn't expect Jim to be the one she could talk to.

"So, is Bones treating you alright? You know."

He waggled his eyebrows and she couldn't believe it. She shoved him and he laughed stepping out. She shook her head and rolled her eyes thinking that it was just like him to deflect from a serious adult conversation. But she did feel better. She only had another ten minutes of peace before...

"McCoy to sickbay. I've got her."

She snorted and turned to Leonard. She flashed a big smile at his red face. He was pretty upset. He was grinding his teeth and a vein was popping in his forehead. She immediately blanched when she noticed just how mad he was.

"Just what were you thinking? I was worried out of my whits!?"

Liz saw him about to start a tirade and she knew she had to head him off.

"I'm sorry. I just needed a break. You said yourself to get out and about."

He started to breathe quicker and pace running his hands through his hair.

"You could have fallen or gotten hurt or had a seizure! I meant to go out with me or a nurse, not by yourself."

"Technically, I wasn't by myself."

His eyes started to bug out and he looked like he was going to faint.

"What...abysmal idiot would let you stay out here?"

She shifted guiltily and looked away. She shook her head.

"Who?' He hissed.

"I'm not gonna tell you. Especially when you're acting like I've committed treason. I just needed a minute to myself, Leonard. A minute where I wasn't being scheduled or reminded of how broken I am. A minute where I'm not being cared for like a helpless infant. I'm sorry."

Her chest was heaving as she finished her piece. Her vision became blurred with tears but she knew she had to tell him. He moved close to her and pulled her into a bear hug and she closed her eyes, leaning into him. He kissed her hair and she relaxed into him. She could smell his aftershave and it reminded her of the night she had fallen asleep in his quarters. She smiled at the memory, hoping that they would get there again. Past doctor and patient and where they were before this mess.

He let go and kneeled down in front of her pulling her chin up to face him. His big brown eyes looked into her bright green ones and she could see how much he cared for her. They were warm and worrying and loving all at the same time.

"I'm sorry. I just care about you too damn much. I want you to get better and pulling a stunt like this was dangerous."

"Like I'm the only one who's run out on you from sickbay?"

He shook his head in disbelief, laughing darkly.

"The only idiot who's ever done anything remotely like this is...dammit Jim!"

She had to force surprised look on her face. She didn't really want Kirk to get in trouble over her.

"What?"

He pointed a finger at her shaking.

"He let you stay here, didn't he? I knew it! He's the only one...dammit. I'm gonna kill him."

"Whoa. Just relax. I'm fine."

He grudgingly sat down. He looked out the window but quickly turned back to her.

"Come on. It's time to get back. I think we've both had enough excitement for one day."

She nodded in agreement and slowly turned her chair to lead the way out. McCoy was careful to walk beside her to allow her to control where she was headed instead of pushing her and for that small gesture she loved him.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi! I haven't heard a lot lately so I hope it's still ok. I'm looking forward to Liz getting back in the swing of things and moving on. This chapter was hard to write because I had to come up with another situation and since Liz is still recovering these next chapters will be interesting. I hope. Excitement will be coming up soon. I hope it's ok and sorry perspective is flip floppy on this chapter.**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Eighteen

Liz stretched on her bed and smiled. She was so happy to have finally been able to be discharged. Though her fine motor skills were still below average, she could finally get out of sickbay as a patient. It had been the longest two weeks of her life. She was also glad that she could finally not be considered Leonard's patient. He was worse than a mother hen and it had taken almost all of her patience to smile and do as he asked. He seemed to take perverse pleasure in giving hypos. She still had phantom pains from them.

Her door chimed shattering her musings.

"Come."

She was surprised when she saw Lieutenant Scott come in. She'd only seen him once or twice in her time on the Enterprise.

"Mr. Scott, how can I help you?"

He walked over, hands behind his back, looking a little skittish. She smiled and leaned forward.

"Who are you looking for?"

He looked around her room one final time before giving her a beaming smile.

"Oh, aye lass. I'm jus' making sure your doctor isna' around so we can have a proper welcome home."

He pulled out a very dusty bottle of scotch and two glasses from behind his back. Liz's eyes lit up in amusement.

"I'll have one but that's it. I have a feeling Dr. McCoy will be bugging me soon enough. It's been 2 hours since I was his patient."

He chuckled as he poured two glasses and handed one to her. She struggled and had to use both hands but took a sip. She started coughing immediately and the slow burn traveled down her throat and into her stomach.

"Strong stuff, that is." She gasped.

Her eyes had tears in them and Scotty was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes too. She finally managed to sip the scotch without coughing and sat back looking at her drinking companion.

"Mr. Scott, why are you really here?"

He shifted guiltily in his seat and topped off her glass and his before sitting back. He ran a hand through his short black hair causing it to stand up. It was cute. It reminded her of the kids she'd babysat when she was younger when they'd sneak out of bed with their hair mussed and looking guilty. She tilted her head and waited.

"It's just...I..."

She raised her eyebrow in an impressive version of Dr. McCoy (who probably stole it from Spock) to try and pressure the engineer to talk.

"I feel guilty for wha' happened to ya. If I'd have been faster or quicker with locking down the systems then Khan would never have seized control and you would never have been hurt."

Liz took the rest of her drink in one shot and as she felt the warmth spread she put the glass down and moved over to Scotty who was sitting at her computer desk, looking thoroughly miserable. He wasn't even able to look at her and it made her heart ache that he was hurting. She wrapped an arm around his head and pulled him to her in an awkward hug.

"Mr. Scott, it's..."

"Scotty." He corrected.

She smiled and ran a hand through his hair before she continued.

"Scotty, it's not your fault. What a madman from the 20th century did is not your responsibility. I happen to know that you helped get everything back in order. You helped to manipulate environmentals to be sure that they were all taken into custody, you made sure that from now on all systems are protected, during my convalescence you kept my life support going when there was a major computer glitch taking out almost every system and most importantly, I know that you were one of four crewman out of this entire ship of over four hundred that made sure to talk to me for at least five minutes a day, every day. You have nothing to feel guilty about."

She moved to sit on the bed again. Her legs were starting to feel tired. Liz plopped down and beamed when she saw Scotty's face matched his engineering tunic.

"I still feel bad abou' it."

She rolled her eyes and groaned. She wondered what it was about some of the men in this century that were just too good to be true. This poor man still felt bad for something that wasn't his fault. It was heartbreaking. An idea hit her, causing her to slowly grin as wide as a Cheshire Cat.

"Scotty, I can tell you how to make it up to me and we can have a little fun to cheer you up."

He looked up frowning but quickly smiled as Liz let him in on her plan for a fun evening.

It was about 0200 hours in the morning when Dr. McCoy went to check on Liz. She'd been sleeping odd hours since being in sickbay so he stood a good chance of her being awake at this odd hour. He rang the chime to her door and heard a loud crash from the other side.

"Liz? Liz? Open the door! Are you alright?"

His hands were numb as he fumbled hitting his override codes to get in. What he saw when the door opened caused his jaw to hit the floor. Scotty and Liz had clearly had quite a few drinks and had turned an engineering lesson into a drinking game.

McCoy was apoplectic with rage. Liz's only saving grace was that she had moved onto water. Both her and Scotty were laughing and Liz rolled over and saw Dr. McCoy glaring at her. Her face drained of all color and her mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water. He put his hand on his hips and waited for Scotty to see him.

Eventually, Montgomery Scott noticed Liz had stopped laughing and turned around jumping up.

"I thin' tha's my cue to go. I'll see ya tomorro' lass."

McCoy didn't say a word the entire time. He almost enjoyed watching Scotty flee from the room but his main concern was Liz. He rushed over and pulled out his medical tricorder from the kit he always kept around his shoulder and started scanning Liz.

She moved to sit up and he had to shove her back down with a grumble.

"Leonard, I'm fine. I only had a couple of drinks. Scotty was the one who was losing."

He scoffed but he saw her level was high but not too bad. Enough that she'll feel it tomorrow though.

"Liz, you shouldn't even be drinking anyways. What were you doing?"

She finally was able to sit up now that he had stopped pressing her down. She gave him a toothy grin and giggled.

"He felt bad that I got hurt. Thought it was his fault so I told him it wasn't."

He sat on the bed as her head landed on his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling in frustration.

"I wanted to cheer him up and make him laugh so I quizzed him on medical and he did me on engineering. By my fourth penalty drink he was on his 6th and I was able to switch to water."

"I'm sure he won't be happy in the morning." He mumbled.

She laughed hard and he started laughing to. Her laughter after so many weeks of stress was a wonderful sound. It was like music to his ears and he felt himself relax in spite of still being a little irritated. Her weight against him felt good and he leaned down to kiss her but she had already fallen asleep. He had to settle for a quick kiss on her forehead.

He laid her down and pulled up her blankets to cover her. Her face was calm in sleep and her curly brown hair was haloed around her head. He laid down next to her and pulled her head on his chest. He fell asleep to the scent of apples in her hair.

Liz's head was pounding and her mouth felt like it was full of cotton. She could hear a pounding in her ear and it was warm.

"Mornin' party girl."

"Oh, god."

She wishes she could shrivel and die, she's so embarrassed. She groans in a mixture of pain and humiliation. Her "pillow" starts shaking in laughter and she has to roll off of him to stop the shaking otherwise she'll lose it on him.

"I can fix that."

She moans into her pillow as she feels a sharp jab in her neck.

"Dammit, Leonard!"

McCoy left Liz's quarters early enough to grab a shower and get some breakfast in the mess. He was still laughing at Liz from this morning when he happened to spot Scotty who looked like he'd dragged himself there. He was staring at his coffee and was slowly turning green as other crew members walked by carrying breakfast trays.

He felt a twinge of pity for him considering his intentions had been good, it had still been dumb. He walked over to the scotsman and slapped him on the back eliciting a groan not unlike Liz's were this morning.

"You know, Mr. Scott, I could easily fix that if you come by sickbay."

He leaned down close to him.

"Just don't do it again."

Scott moaned into his coffee. He laughed as he walked over to his seat and was quickly joined by his friends Jim and Spock.

"Morning Bones. How's Ensign Parker?"

McCoy sipped his coffee and shook his head.

"She decided to cheer up Scotty over there."

All three men turned to the engineer, who at this point had his head in his hands. Spock turned back with an inquisitive look.

"What happened, doctor?"

Kirk turned to Spock, smiling.

"I think they had a little welcome back party."

"Indeed."

The two humans shook their heads in disbelief at Spock's puzzlement.

"I think it went a little far for Scotty's liking. Well, this morning they both feel it." Doctor McCoy added chuckling.

Jim faced him, suddenly serious.

"Bones, Spock, we've been given new orders. We're to escort an Andorian ship, the Cerulean Star to New Vulcan. They're wanting to help in the rebuilding process and are carrying vaccines and supplies that will help."

He nodded.

"Alright. Need anything from medical?"

"Liz, actually."

He frowned and wondered what was going on.

"I was thinking that since she's still recovering that she may like to have an assignment that she could do. The Andorians are a more than a little curious about the Enterprise and are wanting a tour during the escort to New Vulcan. I think that since she can't really return to official duty she could show the Andorians around."

McCoy was getting more irritated as Jim continued his idea. The idea that his friend would risk her recovery by having her play tour operator was ridiculous to him.

"Jim, she was just discharged yesterday. She's not gonna be up to traipsing all over the ship."

He was thankful Kirk started to look reasonably ashamed. He had leaned back blushing and stuttering.

"I'm sorry. It was just an idea. I just thought she might want to be back in the swing of things."

He scowled at his friend's apparent thoughtlessness.

"She's still weak and fragile."

"Who's weak and fragile?"

He slapped his forehead in frustration as Liz slid in next to him, balancing her tray with her forearms.

"Seriously, who?"

Spock looked at her and his lips twitched in amusement at her bright demeanor.

"Apparently, you, Miss Parker. The captain was hoping you would feel up to showing some federation members the Enterprise. We are meeting with an Andorian transport delivering supplies to New Vulcan and they were curious about the ship. Captain Kirk believed that it would be a welcome respite from your time off until you are able to return to your normal duties."

"She's not doing it." McCoy growled.

"I'd love to. Leonard, you worry too much. I know my limits unlike some people."

She indicated Scotty with a hand and giggle.

"Just what did you do?"

Kirk leaned forward on his elbows conspiratorially, eyes bright with curiosity. She leaned forward and whispered.

"I don't kiss and tell, Captain."

McCoy glared at her. She was just as bad as Jim. He watched Liz fumble with her toast and though he knew she was making amazing progress he still couldn't help worrying about her. He looked at the clock and saw he was almost late.

"I've got to run. Dinner tonight?"

She nodded and gave him a grin. He was able to walk to sickbay, his heart feeling lighter than it had in a while.

After Dr. McCoy left she turned to her remaining breakfast companions.

"Thank you very much, Captain, Commander."

She nodded to both respectively.

"I just thought you'd like to test your diplomatic skills and you've not met an Andorian before, so it'll be like first contact for you."

Liz knew a hand off when she saw one but she also saw it as a favor. A break from being confined to data entry and staring at the walls.

"I really like Dr. McCoy, a lot, but he does tend to worry a bit. I think it'll help him to see me around and working again."

"Definitely."

He stood up and clapped her on the shoulder.

"I'll see you in the shuttle bay tomorrow at 0800. And Liz..."

He gripped her shoulder.

"Yes?"

"It is good to see you back."

He left to get to the bridge and Liz was left with Commander Spock. Though he was probably an interesting person, he wasn't much for small talk. She started to fidget when the tension was getting thicker and was beginning to wonder if there was something she could say when Spock decided to speak up.

"May I ask what did happen with the Chief engineer last night for him in such a state this morning?"

She smiled a big smile. She knew Spock had an idea but not the details. She also knew that Spock was possibly feeling awkward with the silence, too or maybe he was trying to alleviate it for her and that was a really kind gesture.

"Well, he was feeling a little bad about my getting injured and so he wanted to have a get together to welcome me back."

"But it was not his fault what happened to you."

Liz looked at how serious Spock was.

"I know that, more of to welcome me back to my quarters. Anyway, he was feeling down so I decided we could play a drinking game. We quiz each other on our respective specialties and when we get it wrong, penalty drink."

Both his eyebrows shot up in surprise. And he did look serious except for his eyes. They seemed to be laughing while he just sat there.

"How would you learn anything in that manner?"

Liz wobbled her head, feeling silly trying to explain.

"It's more of for fun than educational but I did learn some new things about engineering and emergency procedures. I've got a great memory. Most of the time."

She added pointing to her head. Spock seemed satisfied with her answer and probably filed it away under unusual the human behavior category. Liz privately agreed and though she was smiling outside, she still felt a bit sick.

She spent the remainder of the day resting and doing her exercises. She was glad she could do it in the privacy of her quarters. It was so embarrassing dropping things and falling. Her balance was still slightly off and she tired easily but her fine motor skills were still not improving much. She was still trying to use her pincer grasp to pick up ping pong balls with her thumb and forefinger when her door chimed.

"Come in."

She almost had it before it slipped from her weak grip. Her face flushed bright red in irritation.

"You're doing great, Liz."

Though she almost felt like it was a condescending thing to say, she knew he actually meant it. She turned and before she could talk his lips were on hers, startling her. Her eyes widened and McCoy's hands cupped her cheeks and slowly they moved to her hair as she relaxed into the kiss.

His lips were pressing tight on hers and she could feel his tongue slowly move into her mouth and it was amazing and passionate as he tried to taste every part of her and she him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he slowly slid his hands down, never leaving her body, trailing down her waist and resting on her hips. It left her feeling tingly and excited. He slowly pulled back and she could breath again. His eyes were full of excitement and mischief and her legs just wobbled under her as she looked at him with her mouth in a surprised o shape.

"I just wanted to let you know, I was sorry about this morning."

"Uh huh." She nodded dumbly.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Uh huh."

Shock was slowly starting to fade but she knew her face was starting to blush in happiness. McCoy looked overly pleased with himself leading her out of her quarters with his arm around her back.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello! I'm sorry it took me a while to upload this chapter. It took me a little while to come up with an idea of where to go with it. I hope it's ok. The next chapter will mostly be from McCoy's perspective.**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Nineteen

Liz woke up smiling, thinking about how adorable Leonard had been so sweet last night. The ultimate gentleman. He'd pulled out her chair, flirted shamelessly and had even walked her back to her room. She hadn't had someone do that in years. It made her giddy with excitement. She climbed out of bed and and made her way to her replicator ordering a coffee. Sipping her coffee, she noticed a blinking on her computer. She smiled and sat down, hitting the receive button. It was a message from Leonard telling her he had a great time and wanted to see her for dinner again tonight.

She smiled and thought for a minute about playing hard to get. She didn't want to seem too available. She shook her head feeling the excitement bubble up. She liked him too much so she left him a message telling him she'd be there. She practically skipped to the shower.

Liz made her way to the shuttle bay as quick as she could. Her legs still struggled to move at the speed she liked but they moved well enough. Once she arrived at the door she straightened her shoulders and walked in. Captain Kirk, commander Spock and Dr. McCoy were stood together and Liz moved to stand next to them in from of the large grey shuttle craft. It looked almost the same as a Starfleet shuttle only it was more streamlined and sharp looking. The door opened and two large men stepped down.

Both of the men were a bright blue, almost like a summer sky, they had antennae poking through white hair. The one on the left was wearing a silver-like shirt and pants covered by a long black vest. It had a small gold and silver crest on the left side of his chest. The man on the left was wearing the same silver pants and shirt but his vest was a deep maroon. They looked around the bay with interest and Kirk took the opportunity to step forward. He looked every bit the captain of a starship as he strode towards them, back straight, head held high and a wonderful smile on his face.

"Welcome to the Enterprise. My name is Captain James Kirk."

He held his hand out and the Andorian in black took it and gave him a small smile and nod while his companion continued to observe.

"I am Captain Tholos Th'Zarath and this is my aide Keval P'Trell."

Kirk tilted his head in greeting and gestured to our group, introducing us in turn.

"This is my first officer, Commander Spock, my chief medical officer, Dr. McCoy and Ensign Parker who will be assisting you during your visit today."

The two Andorians gave polite acknowledgements and everyone made their way out. Liz was watching them with interest when Tholos looked at her and gave her an almost calculating look. It made her feel a little uncomfortable but she shrugged it off and followed the group. McCoy slowed down to walk next to her and put a guiding hand on her arm. She shook it off and sped up her walking but lost her footing and started falling and Leonard quickly grabbed her.

"You can accept help, you know." He whispered.

Thankfully nobody noticed her tumble as Kirk was keeping up a dialog loud enough to cover her spill. She blushed in embarrassment and shook him off again.

"I'm fine, doctor." She whispered back.

She heard him scoff as he moved beside her. She noticed his eyes flicking toward her in concern and she felt a bit guilty for snapping.

"I'm sorry. I just want to not look...you know. I didn't let my lack of hearing stop me and I'm not going to let this situation even slow me down."

They were nearing the conference room and Liz knew that she wouldn't be able to continue this conversation for much longer. Soon she'd be showing off her new home to their guests. She turned to McCoy and he was still looking ahead, ignoring her and Liz wondered if he was really irritated. She didn't have time to find out as they walked into the conference room.

"Gentlemen, I am glad to welcome you to the Enterprise, especially under these circumstances of camaraderie. Your aid to New Vulcan is just another sign of the tight bonds we hold dear in the Federation. I leave you in the capable hands of Ensign Parker who will provide you with a tour of the ship and afterward we can meet back here and enjoy lunch."

Kirk smiled graciously and nodded to Liz who moved forward, nervously. She wasn't sure but she swore she could see Captain Tholos's antennae follow her. Kirk watched her expectantly and she had to swallow before she could talk.

"Gentlemen, I am honored to be able to show you the Enterprise. I hope that you will find it as amazing as I did when I first arrived."

She gave a nervous smile and gestured for the Andorians to follow her from the room. She moved at a sedate pace through the bridge and both men followed closely. The aid, Keval was watching everything with interest while the Captain was watching her. She introduced each crew member that were at their stations and let them talk while she stood politely to the side.

Chekov and Sulu were particularly enthusiastic, showing them the consoles and explaining their duties. Chekov had started to move off on a tangent explaining his theory on increasing warp capability and the possibility of a slingshot effect around a sun causing a temporal event and Liz noticed her charge's eyes start to glaze over. It was cute seeing his enthusiasm and eyes light up when he was excited about a new possibility but she had to move on.

"Thank you, Mr. Chekov. And now, sirs, we'll start to explore the rest of the ship."

"What department do you work in?" Keval asked quickly.

It took her off guard but she smiled and replied.

"I'm actually a member of the medical staff."

"What part?" He persisted.

They entered the lift and Liz punched deck 5 for medical.

"I'm a nurse."

The Captain's antennae moved forward at hearing this and he spoke up.

"I see you are struggling with movement. How is it that you are a member of the crew if you cannot do simple tasks."

Liz's eyes shot to the Tholos and narrowed in irritation. She bristled under the scrutiny.

"I am actually recovering from an injury I sustained on board and should be back to normal in a week or so."

She said evenly. The aid had watched their interaction with interest but seemed almost disappointed when she had not reacted more at the comment.

"What happened?" Tholos asked as they arrived at medical.

"I fell." She answered before turning to the medical bay and quickly took them around the surgical bays, private rooms and showed the biobeds with the new life support functions. Both men looked suitably impressed and continued to follow her.

"Now, I could show you the engine room, an example of crew quarters, the mess hall or the gym. Your choice, sirs?"

Keval answered her.

"I'm curious about the engine rooms. I've heard that the Enterprise can reach a new speed of warp 7. Is this correct?"

"Yes, and we're trying to push the envelope everyday. Our Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott is one of the best. The engine room is the heart of our home."

She moved them through the twisting and turning corridors and both of them still were asking her personal questions. It was taking all of her patience to smile through it.

"Are we the first Andorians you've met?" Keval asked, leaning close to her. She moved away subtly.

"Yes, actually."

"Why is that? We are not a rare race, like the vulcans are now." The Andorian captain asked.

She continued walking and thought about how to answer.

"I'm new to here. Where I came from there was only humans. I love it here. I get to meet new and interesting people every day."

She hoped her answer was vague enough to stave off more questions. They both nodded and went through the large doors into the cavernous room that was engineering. Liz had only seen it a couple of times since she'd been on board and the sheer size was overwhelming. In a way it was beautiful. The synchronicity of the teams as they moved from station to station and the steady thrum of the warp core. It was literally the heart of the ship.

She spotted Scotty under a panel and walked over to him.

"Lt. Cmdr. Scott? I was wondering if you'd mind showing our guests the finer point of your engine room."

Keval moved to follow and Tholos stayed next to her. Liz moved to sit at one of the stations. Her body was feeling the extended exercise and she needed to rest for a minute. She still felt the Andorian Captain's presence next to her as she watched Keval looking at the engine room with Scotty talking a mile a minute. His enthusiasm was was relaxing to her.

"You don't want to see the warp drive, sir?" She asked.

The man's antennae twitched and he gave her a small smile. She shifted to get a little distance as he moved closer.

"I'm more interested in you."

The attention made her a little uncomfortable.

"I'm flattered, sir, but why don't you tell me about you and your aid."

She switched the conversation around hoping to deflect. It seemed to have a good effect on him.

"Well, I have been in the military from an early age. I have no siblings or family. I have not yet married. Keval on the other hand, I know little about him. He was only recently assigned to me. He joined our ship about a week ago when we had received our orders to transport supplies to the Vulcan colony."

He looked over to his aid while he talked, growing serious. His face straightened and there was almost an expression of dislike.

"He is an unknown to me. I wonder, how much do you know of politics in regards to Vulcan and Andoria?"

Liz shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. Her knowledge was limited. She had read about the battle of Andoria in 2154 and had read about the rocky relationship between the two cultures. She frowned, trying to remember how two very different cultures were able to eventually became two of the founding forces behind the United Federation of Planets.

"A little."

He nodded and continued.

"As you probably know, the relationship between Vulcan and Andoria has never been an easy one. If it hadn't been for a certain Captain Jonathan Archer, there would have been a devastating war between our two species. Since vulcan's destruction, there had been a growing movement to abandon the Vulcan people so that we could become a more powerful empire, eventually cutting our ties with the federation."

"Why do that? There's power in numbers. As a group, the federation and Starfleet work together to support and protect each other."

He turned to her.

"There are those who do not agree with that. I believe you have a group on your Earth that is similar in it's goals. Terra Prime? I do not trust Keval. He has family associated in these subversive groups and though he has never been implicated, I do not know him."

Liz looked over at Keval who was deep in conversation with Scotty. He looked nice enough. If anything, Tholos set her on edge. She'd only read about Terra Prime in passing. From what she'd understood they were a xenophobic terrorist group.

"Do I need to worry? I mean...if he's a risk?" She whispered.

Tholos shook his head.

"This is why he's with me at all times. So I can watch him. I want you to keep an eye on him."

It was at this moment that Scotty came back handing back her guest. Liz could feel her nervousness beginning to rise and had to focus more on her walking to not trip. They started to make their way to the mess hall and were passing a power junction with Keval next to her when Liz noticed Tholos wasn't following them. She turned around to head back and saw him looking at the power distribution grid.

"Captain? Is everything ok?" She moved closer to get his attention.

He flipped around, eyes wide. Liz, startled, put her hands up and stepped back bumping into Keval who caught her around her shoulders as she started to fall, legs flailing under her.

"Everything is fine, ensign. I was just interested in your panels. They are so very different from our own."

She could feel her heart start to beat again as Keval helped her stand straight. She straightened herself quickly and blushed bright red in embarrassment.

"I didn't realize. I'm sorry if I startled you, Captain. If you wouldn't mind sir, I'm sure Captain Kirk is eager for you to join him for lunch."

She stated quietly. She quickened her pace and led them to the conference room instead, cutting their tour short.

Arriving in the conference room, she was pleased to see Dr. McCoy, Spock and Captain Kirk. They were talking amongst themselves and there were places set at the table for eight. Inwardly, Liz groaned at the thought of continuing to stay out. Her body was starting to feel very tired and sore from it's prolonged use. Four hours after weeks of recovery was a lot.

"Sirs, it was an interesting tour. Thank you for letting me meet you."

She nodded to them and turned to leave.

"Liz! There's a space set here for you. Why don't you join us?"

Kirk's voice rang out and she froze. She had to really work to force a smile on her face and grit her teeth as she turned around.

"Thank you."

She really hoped she didn't look manic as she carefully sat toward the end of the table. McCoy, possibly sensing her distress, came to sit next to her, his face lined with worry.

"Liz, you ok?"

He went into full doctor mode, even so far as squinting into her eyes and surreptitiously checking her pulse under the table. She maneuvered her wrist away and held his hand, feeling it relax in her grip. She looked over to see if the Andorians were put of earshot and they were busily occupied by Kirk. They were soon joined by Uhura, who immediately went to Spock, Chekov and Sulu who sat next o her and the doctor. Liz quickly nodded her head and though he didn't look convinced he gave her hand a squeeze and left to once again join the young captain and their guests.

The lunch was quickly brought in by a young steward who left just as fast. Everyone sat down and the conversation continued and she just sat back and listened, letting it buzz around her. Uhura enthusiastically was practicing Andorian with the aid, Keval and Sulu was talking about the maneuverability of the Enterprise since their recent upgrade. It was pleasant and she started to relax. She started to wonder what had been spooking her. After all, they were just visitors but why would Tholos even talk to her about such a weird topic.

"Parker? Parker?"

She jerked out of her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, was someone talking to me?"

She looked around the table. Captain Kirk was giving her a worried smile and turned to Captain Tholos Th'Zarath.

"I think you've worn out my ensign. I think the rest of your tour can continue tomorrow, if that's alright? You're welcome to stay aboard as guests and Miss Parker can meet you tomorrow."

Tholos and Keval turned to Liz and smiled as they answered.

"That would be wonderful. We look forward to it."

They then returned their attention to Lt. Uhura and Liz mouthed her thanks to Kirk. She was ready to go but she waited until conversation died down and the plates were removed. Spock, always the practical person had set up quarters near Liz's so she'd be able to find them in the morning.

McCoy soon moved next to Liz who was starting to feel her eyes glazing over in tiredness. She wasn't really paying much attention and jumped as she felt McCoy put a hand on her arm to help her up.

"I think it's time for you to get some rest. Come on, let's go."

She looked up to see Leonard's stern face and she smiled in relief. This seemed to surprise him as he quickly looked away.

"Captain, if you wouldn't mind, I'm going to escort Ensign Parker back to her quarters."

"Sure. We'll see you tomorrow."

She waved to everyone and allowed herself to be led out. As soon as they hit the turbolift she leaned on McCoy. Her muscles had started to ache and she felt bone-tired and it was only 1400. It had to have been her tiredness that was causing her to be paranoid.


	20. Chapter 20

**Haven't heard much lately. I hope it's ok. Yeah, I know my baddies are obvious. Sorry. Any ideas, please? I value anything from anybody!**

Chapter Twenty

McCoy had noticed how Liz had been holding herself when she had brought the Andorian representatives back from the tour of the Enterprise. She was tired and in pain...and something else he couldn't quite see. He was glad of the excuse to escort her back to her room. He let her lean on him as they walked to her quarters, her bushy hair tickling his cheek as they walked.

"Liz...are you ok? You normally don't accept help this much."

He felt her body stiffen as she pulled away from him to support herself. They quickly arrived at her door and she turned to him, her faced was pinched from tiredness and she looked like she was about to say something but abruptly turned and walked into her room.

"Thank you. I'll see you later, Leonard."

The sudden dismissal took him off-guard and he had to physically shake himself before he stormed in after her.

"Now wait just a damn minute! What's wrong?"

He planted himself just inside her door and crossed his arms, irritated at her lack of response. She bit her lip and frowned, the lines of worry prominent on her face.

"I'm just being paranoid. It's because I'm tired and enjoy this next sentence because it's rare I say it. You were right and I was wrong. It was a bit much for me today."

She flopped onto her bed and he moved to sit next to her. He could feel his worry working it's way up. Liz slowly kicked off her boots.

"Being paranoid about what?" He asked, moving closer.

Liz ran a hand through her hair and let a deep breath out before shaking her head. He wrapped an arm around her and savored the feel of her as she leaned into his embrace, the smell of apples overwhelming him.

"I don't know. Something Captain Th'Zarath said to me. He talked to me about his aid Keval and how he didn't trust him. Talking about an Andorian movement similar to earth's Terra Prime. Something about them just rubbed me the wrong way."

She turned up to look at him, her eyes wide with fear and McCoy felt his heart clench. The bright green standing out against her pale skin made her look even more beautiful in a tragic way.

"I'm not xenophobic, am I if I say that?"

"No, of course not." He murmured.

He pulled her closer and kissed her on her forehead, wishing for all the world that he could fix everything.

"I'll talk to Jim and Spock about your feelings. Don't worry, alright?"

He gave her shoulders a squeeze and moved to kneel in front of her.

"Liz, I want you to get some rest and I'll be back tonight to check on you."

He waited until she nodded her head before he leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss on her lips. She gave him a tired smile and he turned and left.

He made his way to the bridge and was thankful their guests had retired for the day. The captain was next to Spock at the science station going over their projected course to New Vulcan.

"Captain, Commander? A word please?"

He gestured to the ready room wanting this to be a private conversation. They quickly followed and once the door closed McCoy turned to face them. Jim leaned against the wall while Spock stood straight, hands behind his back.

"What's this about, Bones? Is Liz ok?"

"Liz is acting...well...a little freaked out by Tholos and Keval. She said that Tholos had been saying some weird stuff."

Jim stood straighter and his eyebrows came down in thought.

"Like what kind of stuff?" He asked.

"Well, she said that the captain of the Cerulean Star was talking about an andorian group that had similar goals as Terra Prime. Then he mentions something about not trusting his aid. It really put her on edge."

Spock stepped forward, his expression neutral but his tone was low, clearly deep in thought.

"Perhaps she is overtired. It is not uncommon for humans who have experienced recent traumatic events to imagine danger where none exists."

McCoy felt a wave of irritation at Spock's dismissal of his statement. He turned and gave a sardonic smile.

"Gee Spock, I didn't realize you specialized in human psychiatry."

Kirk moved between the two.

"Look, I think what Spock is trying to say is that these people are here to help and that maybe Liz is just nervous. She's never met an andorian and maybe if she got to know them better she'd be a little more comfortable."

Bones was starting to agree and found himself thinking over their discussion. Liz had been tired. Spock spoke up.

"Lieutenant Uhura suggested a small party tonight. It may help ease Ensign Parker into understanding other species. She has little experience and it may assist in calming any fears."

Kirk practically bounced, his grin spreading across his face.

"I think that's a great idea. Their senior staff and ours plus dates."

Kirk waggled his eyebrows at both Spock and him and he rolled his eyes.

"Is that all you think about?" He snapped.

Jim moved back and placed a hand on his chest, a look of mock injury on his features.

"Bones, you wound me! I think about other stuff. Tell him Spock."

McCoy looked to the Vulcan skeptically and Spock was the epitome of calm as he raised an eyebrow in response.

"Sir, as you know I am not privy to your thoughts. I do not know what you think."

It took a second before McCoy realized that Spock was making a joke. He looked to Jim who stood with his mouth slightly open to Spock whose lips were twitching in amusement. He loved it when Spock surprised Jim. He started laughing and that jerked him back to the present.

"I didn't know you had it in you, Spock!"

McCoy, though he was still laughing, shook his head.

"I don't know. Liz was pretty tired after today."

Jim waved him off.

"I had talked with Captain Th'Zarath and he was looking forward to seeing ensign Parker again. In fact, he seemed rather insistent. I'll send her the invitation."

McCoy threw his hands up in disbelief and walked out.

He made his way to Liz's quarters about 30 minutes before the start of the party and rang her chimes. He heard her shout come in and when he did, he saw a blur run into the restroom.

"Liz?"

"Just a minute." She shouted back.

He tapped his foot and waited for her to exit. After ten minutes he took to looking around her room. It was still pretty bare. He saw that she had added a print of the New York City skyline, she had a PADD on andorian history and culture on her desk next to a vase of white flowers.

He was moving to her bookshelf when he heard a muffled curse from the bathroom. Concerned, he moved to the door.

"You alright in there?" He asked.

Her head popped out. She looked better than this afternoon. Her hair was piled on top of her head with a few curls tastefully left loose, her make-up was lightly applied so that it seemed to accentuate her features rather than detract from them. She seemed to be nervous and was biting her lower lip. McCoy was thinking what he'd like to do with her lips when she answered.

"I can't get my zipper to go up. I just can't get a grip. Could you help me?"

She carefully walked out of the bathroom and McCoy had to stifle a gasp. She was wearing a long emerald green off the shoulder dress, it was hugging her waist like a second skin and once past her hips it flowed around her to her feet. On the side, near her left arm, was an ornate white flower and from there was a shower of sparkling gemstones that ran down the length of the dress.

He knew she must have noticed his dumb look because she started giggling. He walked over a brought his hands to her back and slowly fumbled with the zipper. His hands didn't seem to be responding with the speed he was used to and his brain had gone fuzzy with x-rated thoughts. He finally finished helping her and she quickly slipped on her shoes. He wondered if she knew the effect she was having on him right now.

"Thank you, Leonard."

She was able to reach him in her heels and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. He felt it burn where her lips had touched him and he had to mentally shake himself to respond how he should be.

"No problem. Are you sure you're up to tonight?"

"Yeah. I've been doing some reading on their culture and behavioral characteristics. I think that maybe that's just how they are. You know, a little stand-off-ish."

Leonard offered his arm to her and they made their way to the mess hall that had been converted into a make shift meet and greet.

Liz walked carefully in her heels. She never wore them if she could help it but the invitation was rather insistent on formal wear. She'd had to call Christine for help with her make-up and hair, she was able to do the rest, it had just taken a while. Except for her zipper, and she didn't mind too much asking Leonard for help. It had been a lot of fun watching his reaction when she had asked for help. She had felt his hands tremble at her back and she smiled at the memory. She'd not been able to shock him really as they had not really had a date. They went out but it had been to the mess or in their quarters. Not really an occasion to dress up.

She smiled and felt her heart skip a beat when she had seen him. He looked impressive in his dress uniform even though he had said he hated it. It hugged him in all the right places, showing off how well toned he was...everywhere. She smiled as she took the offered arm and he led her to the mess hall.

It had been rearranged since the dinner rush and it was crowded. There were the senior officers from the Enterprise and about 10 andorians mingling. Soft music was playing and there were tables along the wall with a mixture of unusual dishes. Liz smiled when she saw Christine next to Sulu. She looked beautiful in a floaty periwinkle dress, her hair was down around her shoulders and she was positively glowing at the attention the helmsman was paying her.

She waved to Uhura who was standing next to Spock in her own red halter neck dress. She was talking with a group of andorian women in their own language and she was in her element. Liz remembered how much she loved practicing her skills.

"You look lovely this evening."

A deep voice behind her caused her to startle and she forced a smile on her face before turning to Keval. She felt McCoy's grip on her arm tighten and patted his hand to reassure him.

"Thank you. You look nice, too."

It wasn't entirely a lie. His uniform had been changed for black pants and a long fitted jacket embroidered with the andorian emblem on his chest. He gave her a smile before moving away.

"Bones, who's this you brought here?"

Jim came sauntering over and gave her a huge grin which she returned full force. His flirting was funny in the fact that he knew he'd never get anywhere.

"If you mean to say I look great, thank you. But tell me, captain, do I look that bad in uniform?" She asked.

She was rewarded when he started stuttering. But he gave as good as he got. He leaned in so close that she could feel his breath on her neck causing her to shiver and giggle.

"Liz, you look so much better in uniform. You know I love a woman in uniform."

Bones gave a threatening growl and his grip on her arm tightened, almost causing her to lose circulation in her hand. She knew it was harmless fun and she hoped Leonard thought so, too.

"I'm going to go get a drink. I'll leave you two to talk. Thank you for inviting me. It feels nice to dress up."

She left them to head toward the drinks set out and picked up a small flute of champagne. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and she felt herself began to relax.

"Ensign Parker. It is pleasing to see you again. You look better."

Inwardly, she grimaced but she showed no sign of it on her face when Captain Th'Zarath came close to her. He moved close to her and as she moved away slightly his hand suddenly gripped her arm.

"It's...nice to see you too, sir."

She started trying to pull her arm away but his grip tightened vise-like and she looked to McCoy for help but he was deep in conversation with commander Spock and Keval. Her heart started beating quicker and she felt the first stages of panic as Tholos wrapped his other arm around her, securing her to his side.

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to get back to the party."

She continued trying to extricate herself but Tholos simply laughed and held her tighter.

"Now, now. We don't want to make a scene, do we?"

His tone was condescending and she felt irritation at the way he was talking to her but it was nothing compared to the fear that was starting to grip her.

"What do you want?" She hissed through clenched teeth.

His grip on her got even tighter and she could feel the beginnings of bruises.

"I want you to finish that tour of ours. Starting from where we ended. And if you don't...well, let's just say that your friends here will not make it through desert tonight. I was kindly invited to help with the event this evening and I added a few decorations of my own. I'm sure you don't want this party to go out with a bang, do you?"

Her stomached dropped and she felt the blood drain from her face as he talked. The room started to spin and she started to stumble only to be roughly shaken by the andorian.

"I'd suggest you look the part of the happy host and comply."

She could feel her body start to shake and she numbly nodded her head as he almost dragged her from the room. She threw one last desperate look behind her to try and signal for help but Leonard was still talking to Keval. How could he not see this? How could anybody?


	21. Chapter 21

**Hi, I'm not too sure about this chapter but I hope it's ok. I'm thinking a shore leave for the next set. Any ideas? Btw-reviews are my lifeblood keeping me going. Even bad ones. Thank you! **

**Tishbing**

Chapter Twenty-One

McCoy reluctantly let go of Liz and followed Jim.

"How's she doing?"

He glanced over his shoulder and saw her talking with the andorian captain. She seemed to be having a deep conversation and he smiled. He was watching her as she stood there and she just took his breath away. She was so different from Jocelyn. Jocelyn had always had a severe personality to match her severe style. Formal and functional and Liz was something else entirely. She was strong but not overly so. Tonight was a prime example. Jocelyn would have been so stubborn there would have been no way she would have come tonight but Liz took it in stride, even admitting a possible error on her part. She did it all while looking beautiful.

"She's doing good. She's been studying up on andorian culture so that she doesn't have another faux pas."

Jim gave him a grin and wrapped an arm around his shoulders and he was pulled over to talk with Spock. They were going over the finer points of the merits of emotions when they were interrupted by Captain Th'Zarath's aid.

"Mr. Keval. I hope you're enjoying our little get together."

Kirk raised a glass to the man with a smile and Keval gave a grimace back setting McCoy on edge.

"Captain, I believe I need to warn you about a possible danger. I'm a member of the andorian imperial guard and I have been watching Captain Tholos Th'Zarath for a while. I believe that he may be working in the terrorist group, Andoria First for a while now. Their goals are to separate our people from the federation."

Kirk's eyes narrowed and he started to frown. His body taking a tense offensive posture as he stared down Keval. McCoy's head snapped around doing an almost comical double take.

"And what has this got to do with us?"

Keval's eyes flicked around the room before he turned back to the group.

"I have noticed certain chemicals missing from our ship's store that could be manufactured into an explosive device. He has been known to have rather specist and xenophobic opinions. I fear that he may want to compromise the aid mission. He was extremely upset at being ordered to deliver aid to New Vulcan. That's why I was assigned to him. I had thought that he would just follow orders but I discovered the missing supplies 10 minutes ago."

The blonde's outrage was obvious. His eyes flashed angrily and his face turned a vivid red. His fists clenched he looked around the room. Bones could feel the blood draining from his face as he frantically searched the room for Tholos. He had seen him only a minute ago with Liz. His heart almost stopped when he couldn't find either.

"Jim, Liz is missing too."

He spun to Spock who had been listening to the exchange in silence.

"Dammit! I told you Liz knew something was up. Tholos was trying to shift attention to this one here but she knew!" He hissed and rushed over to the comms about to signal Liz but quickly remembered that she wasn't wearing her comms or uniform.

He spun around to Kirk and Spock who were starting to leave the party. Their faces were grim and he could feel panic beginning to rear it's ugly head. Once in the corridor they stood trying to come up with a solution.

"Bones, Keval and I are going to head to the bridge to use internal sensors to try and locate Tholos. Liz may be with him. I want you and Spock to head to where Liz's quarters are and see if she might be there. Grab phasers just in case."

McCoy nodded his understanding and ran to the weapons locker, not caring if Spock was behind him.

Liz was stumbling in her heels for two reasons. The main one was trying to slow down the jerk dragging her and the second was because her feet and legs were killing her.

"Look, if you want me to move faster, I need to take off my shoes. Dragging me harder isn't going to make me go faster."

Tholos looked down at her, disgust written on his face and he threw her away from him.

"Fine. But be quick, pink skin."

Hatred was dripping from his words and Liz glared at him and carefully lowered herself to remove her shoes. She placed them on their sides, heel to heel making an E out of their shape. She knew that they were going near engineering and it was a shot in the dark but, you never know. She slowly stood up and Tholos immediately grabbed her again.

His eyes were crazed as he pulled her through the corridors and she could feel the adrenalin flooding her as she walked. She was so scared but she couldn't risk trying to take him down in case he set off whatever he had put together in the mess hall. She would just have to wait for her opportunity.

"We're here."

He roughly shoved her to the power distribution panel he had looked at earlier that day and she didn't know what he wanted until she looked at it closer. This panel controlled the energy distribution throughout the ship. If and explosion occurred here and the vents were open, it could cause a cascade explosion throughout the ship.

"I want you to open the power vents to the ship. Now." He whispered in her ear.

She felt a weapon to her back and knew he was serious.

"No."

Sudden, blinding pain erupted over her left eye as he slammed the butt of the gun to her head. She staggered and could see stars popping but he pulled her upright.

"Now or I kill your friends. The Vulcan is a bonus." He laughed.

She snuck a glance and could see that though he was watching her, he was also focused on the corridor and his other hand slammed a small octagonal device on the panel. It was flashing and beeping and the sight of it made Liz stop breathing.

"Why are you doing this? We're allies?"

Liz could feel hot tears starting to roll down her face as he shoved her closer to the panel.

"I'm not allies with the weak like you. You're pathetic. Enter the codes now!"

"I can't. I don't know them. I'm just a nurse." She choked out with a sob.

He snarled behind her and raised his hand to hit her again. Liz closed her eyes waiting for the blow when she heard running to her right.

"Stop right there Tholos or I'll shoot you."

Liz's knees went weak at hearing Leonard's voice. He suddenly grabbed her arm again and she felt the muzzle of his weapon to her temple. His voice was loud and harried as he talked back.

"Put down your weapons or I shoot. I will kill her. What's one less weak alien?"

She could see McCoy starting to falter. His eyes flickering with fear and doubt. She couldn't let him give in to this monster. She was thinking back to her impromptu engineering lesson. Scotty's emergency procedures when an idea hit her.

"Don't do it. He's got a bomb."

He looked at Liz and she felt her heart break as he started to lower his weapon. She struggled against Tholos's grip when she suddenly heard a phaser go off and Tholos's grip tightened momentarily but then started to slacken. Spock came around the corner and stood behind McCoy, his eyes full of fire.

Liz spun to the man who was losing consciousness but in a matter of seconds his hand flew up and hit the bomb. It was like time slowed down. She could hear the beeping and Liz did the only thing she could think of. She slammed the fire button, sealing this deck and ran. She ran towards Spock and McCoy as the blast hit her. She could feel shards of plastic embedding themselves in her back and at her side she saw Spock dragging McCoy who was bleeding from his head.

She knew the oxygen was being drained from this deck to contain the fire and explosion and as they turned a corner Spock ripped off an access panel to a maintenance hatch and Liz grabbed the emergency kit across from it. They shoved McCoy in and Spock climbed in. Liz started to feel lightheaded could see there was only room for two and was about to close the door when Spock grabbed her and pulled her in on top of him.

Straddling him they were able to close the panel but the oxygen was being removed from here as well. Liz opened the kit and pulled out the medical foam they use to fill shallow puncture wounds. It expands and seals a wound, stopping bleeding and minimizing infection and she started spraying it on the vents hoping to slow the process of depressurization.

Once she heard the hissing stop she knew it was sealed, at least temporarily. She rifled through the kit and was pleased to note that there were two oxygen masks and tri-ox injections. She quickly gave each of them a shot and handed a mask to Spock to put on Dr. McCoy. She couldn't get a good angle. She pulled out the second mask and placed it on Spock and as she turned to check on Bones she felt the mask being shoved on her.

She turned to the Vulcan, surprise etched on her face.

"I am able to survive in a thinner atmosphere. You need the mask."

She couldn't risk it. She could see the steely determination in his eyes, their faces inches apart and she knew he'd never survive long enough in the hatch without the mask. The ship needed it's first officer. She turned to Leonard and the sight of him crushed up against the wall turned her blood to ice. He had a cut on his head and he was unconscious. She couldn't get a better view in the cramped quarters.

"I need you to scan Bones. My hands are not able to twist in that way."

She fumbled the medical tricorder with shaking hands and gave it to Spock. He took it calmly and started scanning while she started to prepare a hypospray.

"Minor concussion, small fracture to the skull. He will recover."

"Good...Mr. Spock?"

He looked up from the readings. She hoped she couldn't read her mind what with her being pretty much on top of him and him being a touch telepath. Her legs either side of him with her dress pushed up and his legs the same with her.

"If I don't make it...can you tell Leonard...I'm sorry."

Before Spock could reply she hit him with the hypospray full of sedative she had been preparing while Spock had been checking McCoy. He jerked up and looked at her before she saw his eyes dull and he slumped forward. She quickly jerked off the mask and placed it on Spock.

She pushed him off her chest from where he had fallen and she resigned herself to wait. The masks held a thirty minute supply and it would take 20 minutes for the fire cycle to complete. She hoped that there was enough air in the compartment but she doubted it. She could already start to feel the dizzy sensation. Her back was sticky with blood from the shrapnel and she was glad it didn't seem to hurt anymore.

She kissed her hand and reached next to her to touch Leonard. She grabbed another hypo of tri-ox compound and stabbed it into her neck. Although, she knew she was only putting off the inevitable she still had to try. It felt like her chest was being squeezed, her breath coming in short bursts as she was using up what was left. She looked around the small compartment and could see the lights and panels next to Leonard and she tried to reach them but was so sandwiched between Leonard and Spock and the door she could not bend herself to reach.

The edges of her vision began to darken and in the suffocating silence she could hear her wheezing beginning. She fumbled and was struggling to see the hyposprays but she finally got another shot of tri-ox. Soon after feeling the hiss she could see a little better and she gave the men one last check. She knew it wouldn't be long, either way. Both were stable. She could feel tears threatening to spill but she blinked them back. If she stayed calm, less oxygen would be used and she'd stand a chance.

Her vision started blurring again and she could feel her eyelids start to become heavy. She leaned back against the wall and looked to her left at Leonard. He was still out and she smiled. He had tried to save her. He was such a brave and wonderful man and she loved him for it. She hoped he would forgive her. She took his hand and closed her eyes.

McCoy jerked awake, feeling something stuck to his face and he was curled into an awkward jumble. He tried to straighten himself but found he was stuck with Liz and Spock on one side and the wall on the other. His head was pounding and his vision was blurry as he tried squinting in the half-light. He could make out Spock, unconscious with a mask on and turning his head he saw Liz.

Her head was facing away and he couldn't see her. He kicked at the wall and got himself sitting and he leaned towards her. His hands went numb as he saw the discarded hypospray cartridges. Five tri-ox and one sedative. His chest felt like a cord was wrapping around it and he looked to her chest. He could see it spasming with short breaths. Standard kits only carried two masks.

He ripped off his mask and immediately it felt like a blanket had been shoved over his nose and mouth and pulled Liz closer to him. Her head falling on his shoulder. Her lips had turned a scary blue and when the mask hit her she started taking great shuddering gasps, her whole body shaking.

The only thing he could think of was what if he hadn't woken up when he did. The damn, ridiculous, self sacrificing woman would have been dead. He wasn't sure if he would have been able to live knowing that she had again thrown herself into the fray. He could feel himself getting dizzy and knew that Liz had stabilized enough and took to alternating the masks. Each one of them taking a turn. The last time he saw an indicator it said five minutes.

A feeling of panic was beginning to take over when he heard banging on the door. A minute later it was pried open by Scotty and Jim. Their faces showing relief at finding them. The air coming in helped him finally breath but it tasted like smoke.

"Bones! Thank god!"

Jim carefully pulled Liz out and he could hear other people outside and he realized that there must be medical teams waiting. Once Spock was pulled out he carefully crawled out. Pins and needles hit his limbs the minute he was out and upright and a wave of vertigo hit him. He started to stumble and he felt hands steady him.

"Thanks Jim. I've gotta check them over."

He moved to scan Spock with the tricorder Jim handed him and his friend was hovering next to him, clearly anxious for he results.

"Spock's fine. He's just sedated and he'll probably be nauseous as hell when he wakes up but he'll be fine."

He moved over to Liz running it over her prone form and could feel a grin on his face as she started groaning and trying to move.

"She's fine too. A little hypoxia and a lot of cuts to her back, some minor shrapnel that will need to be removed but she'll be fine."

He leaned down to her and put a hand on her head, smoothing back her hair in an attempt to sooth her agitation. The med-evac team moved closer and he nodded to them allowing them to take both of the stretchers to sickbay.

Jim walked next to him as his shaky legs led him to the sickbay. The bands on his chest loosened as he walked and came to think that this had been too close. Again.

"I'd assume Tholos is dead." McCoy asked quietly.

"Yeah."

"Any other nasty surprises headed our way?"

"Don't think so. Keval is taking command of the andorian ship in light of recent events."

"Hmpf. Little late." He quipped.

"Yeah. I know. Bones? How did you know to hit the fire button? The doors started going down a second before the explosion?"

They went through the doors and he moved to Liz's side and Geoff M'Benga went to Spock's who was starting to come around. She started fighting Nurse Baker who was trying to keep an oxygen mask on her face and he turned to Jim, a solemn expression on his face.

"Liz did it. She had seen the bomb and knew it was going to go off."

Kirk shook his head in disbelief while Bones waited for Baker to finish calming Liz down and changing her into a gown. He had seen a flash of blood on her back and he needed to see the damage. He started to move back to her, his hands twitching in fear of the damage she had.

"She's fine, Bones. Don't worry."

He felt his friend clap a hand on his shoulder in what was an attempt to reassure him but it only made him angry. At Liz, at Jim and at Spock. He had told them something was up and it had been dismissed as a cultural misunderstanding, paranoia. The thought of what could have happened was running through his mind as Jenni came out from behind the privacy curtain. His hands had balled into fists and he could hear the telltale creak of the plastic in his hands. The medical equipment crushing against itself.

"Bones, I know you're mad but hurting yourself won't make anything better. I wouldn't want you treating me in your current state."

His eyes narrowed and Jim stepped closer to him. He glared at him before stepping behind the curtain to Liz. She was awake and on her stomach with her back exposed. It was a collection of slashes gouges and bruises littering her back. Jenni had cleaned the majority of them. The sight of them made his stomach clench and he moved towards her to start his job.

"Hey Bones! You look funny. Kinda purple with your face. Are you mad at me?"

She looked up at him as he started cleaning and closing her cuts with dull eyes and giggling weakly. Nurse Baker had to have administered a strong pain killer. He shook his head and just continued his work. He would have to talk to her when she was more lucid.

"I'm sorry, Leonard. You know you're cute when you're mad? You're face gets all scrunched up and it lets everyone know how much you love them."

He stopped working for a moment and looked down at Liz. She had started snoring and his anger ebbed away at her face, so calm in sleep.

"Doctor, I am pleased to see that you and Miss Parker are recovering."

McCoy snorted and finished Liz's wound care, quickly covering her and turned to see Spock standing directly behind him.

"Yeah. I've got a headache the size of Georgia but I'll be fine and so will Liz in about an hour once she wakes up."

He moved towards his office and gestured for Jim and Spock to follow. He pulled out a bottle of brandy and sat down heavily. He quickly poured three glasses and took one for himself. The weight of the day sitting on him heavily. Jim took his and sat on the couch opposite him while Spock stood near the door.

"Spock...I have to say it. I told you so. There was something going on and it could have killed us."

He savored the slow burn of his drink and waited for a response from the two men. He leaned back and closed his eyes for a minute, feeling the adrenalin ebb from his system and he was looking forward to hopefully finishing the evening with Liz.

"I must apologize for my quick dismissal of Ensign Parker's fears however, I must criticize her actions this evening."

Jim frowned at Spock, confusion evident and Bones nearly choked on a swallow of his drink.

"What for?"

Liz stumbled in, pale and wrapped in a blanket. She moved past Spock, giving him an impressive death glare that rivaled McCoy's and she carefully sat on the couch next to Jim.

"Miss Parker, you disobeyed my orders for you to wear the oxygen mask and you drugged me. That is assault on a fellow officer and insubordination."

McCoy's jaw dropped as he flipped his head to Spock. Liz simply smiled at Spock. The smile grew large and it was unnerving to see such a change in behavior. He began to wonder if the hypoxia may have caused some behavioral changes or possibly the medication was causing her to hallucinate.

"Commander, you're wrong."

Spock raised an eyebrow in surprise and a small smile played on his lips.

"I assure you that I am not."

Liz wrapped the blanket tighter around herself and moved into a more comfortable position.

"You're exact words when you put the mask on me were "I can survive a thinner atmosphere. You need the mask." It was a statement of fact, not a direct order telling me to wear the mask. You just said I needed it not to wear it. I sedated you for two reasons. One, because you use less oxygen when you're sleeping and two, because I didn't want an argument."

Kirk eyes widened and a smile tugged on his lips as he looked from Liz to his first officer. Spock's body started to tense and McCoy could see his jaw tighten in irritation at being proven wrong.

"Well, Commander. Is this true?"

Kirk looked from one to the other. Liz had a triumphant grin on her face as Spock looked like he'd swallowed a lemon.

"She is correct."

Liz stood up and walked over to Spock.

"Sir, I am sorry. I just knew that a ship cannot do without it's first officer and it's chief medical officer. By the way, Tholos used the threat of explosives in the mess hall to force me to accompany him. You may want to check. Also..."

She moved to the door and McCoy had to stop himself from following her. She looked at all of them seriously.

"I told you something wasn't right. I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

She abruptly turned and left.


	22. Chapter 22

**Ok readers, here it is...the grown-up chapter. I hope it lives up to everyone's sexpectations and yes...that is not a typo. Any ideas or thoughts, please feel free to review. :)**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Twenty-Two

Liz made it to her quarters and was grabbing some pajamas when her door chimed. She had a feeling as to who was on the other side.

"Come."

She continued to rifle through her drawers, holding the blanket from sickbay tighter around herself.

"Bones, I'm fine. I'm just going to get some rest. After all, this was a very tiring date."

She finally found her shorts and cami and started for her bathroom to change when she collided with a solid wall of somebody. Hands shot out to steady her and she was face to face with Commander Spock. Surprise at her guest caused her to stumble a second time and the vulcan helped her to her desk chair.

"I came to ascertain that you are well after our encounter. Also, to inform you that we did find one small explosive device in the mess hall and it has been disabled and removed."

Spock straightened his posture and had his hands behind his back. He had a slight frown on his face and he was watching her with what looked like concern...maybe guilt?

"Ok. I'm fine."

"Your diagnosis of fine is an inadequate description and I am sure Dr. McCoy would agree with me."

She rolled her eyes and wrapped herself tighter in the blanket.

"Fine. I have a headache and my back hurts and itches."

She looked down at her feet. She could feel guilt from snapping at him start to edge it's way in.

"And I feel bad about sedating you."

"I must admit that I do not understand your actions."

Spock kneeled down in front of her and met her eyes with his own.

"Well, I knew that there was only two masks and my job was to take care of my superior officers. Even when they do not take care of themselves."

Spock's features softened.

"I also came to apologize for my dismissal of your suspicions. If I had investigated your fears then Th'Zarath would not have succeeded in his attempts."

Liz frowned and shifted in her seat. The guilt emanating from the first officer was almost unbearable.

"But he didn't. Nobody got killed except for him. Don't worry about it."

She thought for a minute and wondered why they had come looking for her in the first place.

"What made you change your mind and look for us?"

"Keval told us of his suspicions and the discovery of missing chemicals and then the doctor had noticed you were missing after speaking with Captain Th'Zarath. Considering your distrust of him, we did not believe that you would have left with him of your own volition."

It made sense, sort of.

"Thank you. If you hadn't come when you did, I don't know what would have happened."

She waved him off and he understood her dismissal. He stood to leave but once at her door he turned around.

"I will be placing a commendation in your record. I doubt that Dr. McCoy or I would have survived if not for your actions of grabbing the medical kit."

Liz's jaw dropped and she was about to protest when he turned on his heel and quickly left. A warmth spread in her chest at his words. She knew that it was hard for a vulcan to admit that he was wrong and Spock had not only done it but was going to put it on display in her record. She smiled as she quickly showered and dressed for bed, washing out all her stress until she felt better.

She was curled up at her desk and typing up her report when her door chimed a second time that evening. This time she looked up to see who was visiting. Another surprise.

"Miss Parker, I am pleased to see that you are recovering."

Captain Kirk and the andorian aid Keval stepped into her small room. She immediately wrapped the blanket that had fallen around herself, blushing bright red.

"Uh...yeah. Thanks."

Captain Kirk winked at her from behind the andorian and Liz had to fight the urge to put her face in her hands. She'd expected Leonard to come by but not a slew of other people. The andorian had clearly not seen the gesture and continued. He moved forward and put out his hand. Liz took it and they shook hands.

"I would like to present you with the Andorian Ribbon of Excellence on behalf of the Andorian people."

He pulled a small box out of his pocket and flipped it open. A small rectangular pin with blue and silver stripes vertically alternating was in the box. He carefully took it out and moved to place it on her. Being only in a small pajama shirt he had to carefully place it on her chest. Heat creep up her cheeks in embarrassment at being presented with something for doing her job and also for being so improperly dressed. She held her blanket around her and stood up as straight as she could. She gave him a tired smile.

"This pin signifies protection, promotion and sharing of Andorian culture and values. You demonstrated that by protecting our mission to aid the Vulcan people and by fighting against those who would destroy our values."

"Thank you."

He nodded and left her room, leaving Kirk alone with her. She flopped back in her chair and gave the captain a wry smile which he returned.

"I have to say, I've never been given an award in my pajamas."

She really did slap her forehead causing Kirk to laugh. She could feel herself starting to relax and laugh herself.

"Liz, I think you might want to take some time off. New Vulcan isn't exactly a vacation spot but they have some nice places to see. I think Bones would like to go with you to make up for this date that kind of went wrong."

She smiled wider at the thought of moving their relationship a little further along and being able to see a new planet. Her only other experience had been a rather negative one and she'd like to create some positive memories.

"Do you think he'd actually surrender his sickbay for a whole twenty-four hours?"

Kirk smiled and clapped her on the shoulder, causing her to wince in discomfort.

"I think we can wrangle two days and nights. After all, you two made it possible for the vulcans to get their supplies. M'Benga can handle the transfer and he's got more experience with vulcans, too."

He moved down and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a gentle hug.

"Thank you."

He moved back and gave her a smile, wiggling his eyebrows. She knew that look.

"Don't worry about a thing. I'll have Bones on that transporter platform when we arrive tomorrow. After all...I don't think he'll want to let you go down there by yourself."

He stood up and gave her a wave before he left and Liz looked down at the blue and silver pin on her chest. Fingering it and smiling. She was glad for her time here and she had become a stronger and better person for it. She tried to remove the pin but eventually gave up and decided to just go to bed. It had been a long day.

She was snuggling down in her blankets, yawning when her chime rang again. Groaning she rolled over, hoping whoever it was would get a clue because it was now 0200. She heard the chime again and buried her head in her pillows in irritation. A minute passed and she closed her eyes but soon heard a series of beeps when the override was keyed in.

She turned and started lifting herself into a sitting position and her face smacked into McCoy's hand holding a tricorder about an inch from her.

"Computer, lights!" She said quickly, holding her cheek.

She grumbled when McCoy's face moved into her line of sight and she tried sitting up again, only to be pushed back down. It was at this point her headache started to reappear from her lack of sleep.

"I'm fine, Leonard. You're worse than my mother." She whined and batted the scanner away.

McCoy looked at her in exasperation but scanned around her attempts to stop him. His cut had been healed and his eyes were lined with tiredness. His mouth pressed into a thin line at her irritation so she just let him do as he pleased to help him realize she was fine.

"If you are fine, them why didn't you answer your door?" He snapped.

She feigned a look of innocence.

"Because it's 0200."

His face relaxed as he read her results and she could see unshed tears in his eyes. She hadn't really thought she'd scared him that much and was about to say so when she was scooped up in a rib cracking hug. His body was shaking and he buried his face in her neck. She awkwardly put her arms around him and held him. He stayed, holding her for a while before he started talking. His voice muffled by her hair.

"Why would you do that? I almost lost you."

Her eyes started to sting as her heart clenched. She knew what he was talking about. The oxygen masks.

"Because I couldn't risk you. I love you too much." Liz mumbled and kissed the top of his head.

He pulled back, surprise on his face and his eyes wide. Fear seized her. She had said the L word and she worried that she had overstepped her boundaries. She looked down and moved away.

"I'm sorry. I know you probably don't feel that way. I'm moving too fast and..."

Suddenly his lips were on hers, his hands in her hair, pulling her to him in a passionate kiss that told her exactly how he felt. She allowed him to tilt her head and he deepened the kiss, his tongue moving into her mouth and caressing hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he lowered her to the bed with him on top. He pressed himself to her body and she could feel his heartbeat against her chest and it was wonderful.

Leonard lifted himself off of her and broke the kiss. She started to feel dizzy from the intensity and his brown eyes looked into her green and she could see the need for him to be with her in them.

"I love you, Elizabeth Parker. I have for a while now and I don't know what I would have done if I'd have lost you."

She could see the hurt and she did the only thing she could think of to let him know that she was here, now, and that they were together. She pulled him to her and brushed her lips against his, gentle at first and then more possessive. He moved to her neck, his kisses leaving a trail of fire down and he nipped at her collarbone causing her to moan and arch into him in pleasure. She could feel herself wanting more as the blood rushed downwards.

His hands slowly moved down her sides, his fingers sliding under her cami and he moved down, lifting her shirt carefully and kissing and touching her stomach, eventually pulling her shirt off. He was taking his time and being so gentle, it was driving her crazy. She pulled herself up with him straddling her and pulled the hem of his shirt up and off and kissed his neck, running her hands down his toned back, gently trailing her nails as she moved to kiss his chest.

His hands slid behind her back and he carefully unhooked her bra, tossing it aside and he looked down. She could feel his excitement as he became hard, touching and cupping her breasts and he gently laid her back. Kissing each breast hungrily and licking around her nipples, moving to run his teeth over them until they became fine points. She gasped and arched her back into him and could feel his member twitch with her movements.

Her hands moved to his waistband and fumbled with the belt while she ran her fingers along his hips. He quickly moved up and pulled them off and moved his attention southward. He kissed her stomach and moved lower, trailing his fingers as he went. His fingers came to her shorts and underwear and he lowered them, keeping his lips fastened to her hips, forcing her hips to jerk forward in excitement. She could feel her arousal grow as he kissed the inside of her thighs, trailing north with his tongue and lips and then he gave her a lick in her most sensitive of areas causing her to arch into him. Her hands grabbed his hair as she moaned. It felt like a coil was being wound tighter and tighter as he continued his work, his tongue licking and probing, stabbing and swirling. His lips kissing and sucking and moaning into her causing her to jerk with each movement. His hands came around to hold her hips still, forcing her to be at his mercy and as she whimpered he laughed and intensified his ministrations.

Her feet started to tingle and all she could think of was how wonderful this was and the coil wound so tight it finally burst as she screamed her release, tightening the grip on his hair and he continued until she started pushing him away, gently.

"Too much...too much Leonard."

He gave her one more kiss and looked up at her, his hair standing up and looking like he was so proud of himself. She smiled showing her pleasure and he moved up to kiss her temple and once more was in her mouth. She could taste herself on him and she sighed into it. He pulled back, his eyes dark and wanting and she nodded to him, her arousal coming back.

He lined his erection with her entrance and carefully pushed in. It had been so long for her and once he was fully inside he let out a moan as she wrapped her legs around him. She held tight as he slowly began to thrust and she let out a breath she had been holding. She had not felt this full ever and he knew how to use it. Twisting his hips carefully as he started to move faster, the friction intensifying. She could feel her breaths coming quicker and she started moaning as she felt her next orgasm coming quickly. He grabbed her hips, fingers pressing deeply as his thrusts came harder and faster and she arched back as she screamed again and her body started shaking, she could feel herself throbbing around him as he continued and he started to tense, grabbing her and pulling her up as he shouted her name as he came inside her.

He stayed holding her, both of them panting from the exertion when he leaned back and he kissed her tenderly. His hair was stuck to his temples and he smiled at her as she rubbed her hands down his back. He started to kiss her neck and...

"No...no more...that was amazing."

She felt a rumble of amusement and he looked back up at her.

"I love you, Liz."

"I love you, Leonard."

He carefully pulled out and laid down, pulling her to him under the blankets and nuzzling the back of her neck. She sighed in contentment and closed her eyes, feeling his heart pounding behind her, lulling her to sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

**Hi folks! I haven't heard anything soooo was it ok or not ok? Was the last chapter too graphic or not graphic enough? I figured it was time. Well, I do live for reviews so please let me know. I always do a happy dance when I see a review or follow or favorite notification. Thank you so so much for reading and I am sorry it's short.**

**tishbing**

Chapter Twenty-Three

Liz woke up warm and comfortable in Leonard's arms. He was still deep in sleep, his breath tickling the back of her neck. She didn't realize he was so much of a teddy bear. She shifted to try and get up but his arms tightened, pulling her back to him where she heard a small laugh.

"Morning Darlin'."

She could feel him smile as he kissed her shoulder and loosen his grip so she could turn around and face him, a smile on her face too.

"Morning."

Though she wasn't one for morning kisses, it was a great way to wake up. She stretched, cat-like and couldn't get near enough to her bedside table to reach her clock.

"Computer. Time."

_"The time is 0850 hours."_

_Oh, shit! _

Liz scrambled out of the bed, dragging the sheets with her to stay covered and it left McCoy naked.

"Oh, god! Oh, god!"

She could feel the slight beginnings of panic as she rooted around for her clothes, Leonard, watching her with amusement as she stumbled around the room.

"What's wrong? We're both off today after what happened yesterday."

Her head snapped around, eyes wide, almost looking like a trapped animal and Bones just laughed, slowly grabbing his things from around the room. Even in her panic, she couldn't help but notice his toned, lean body as he walked around. She shook her head to focus on more important things...well, right now.

"Because we're supposed to be in the transporter room at 0900 in order to go down to New Vulcan. It was supposed to be a surprise. Jim was arranging for us to have a little shore leave together."

She managed to pull on her top and underwear but she was suddenly grabbed from behind, warm arms wrapping around her and he started kissing her neck, near her shoulder, forcing her to drop her blanket with numb hands. She leaned into his touch, shivering with excitement.

"We could always stay here." Leonard murmured into her neck.

"You're making it hard for me to focus here."

She struggled to extricate herself and his grip tightened, running his hands up and down her body.

"That's the general idea."

Her door started chiming, jerking her back into the present. She flipped around to McCoy, who had a smug look on his face and she started shoving him into her bathroom.

"Go. Go. Go." She hissed urgently and he stumbled, letting her push him into the room, laughing the whole way. The door had barely shut before the entrance to her quarters opened admitting Captain Kirk. Liz snatched up the abandoned blanket to wrap around herself as his head peeked around.

He stopped short, his head turning slowly, taking in her flushed face, clothes all over the floor, her bed area a complete mess. His eyes widened for a moment and then a grin spread across his face.

"Hey Liz! Seen Bones?"

He moved further into her room and she could see his eyes fall on the blue medical tunic near the bed and she groaned, her face turning crimson in embarrassment.

"Ever hear of knocking?" She snapped.

"I did. You know, I've been looking for him everywhere but he's not in his usual haunts. I've tried sickbay, his quarters, mess hall. You seen him?"

His smile grew even wider as he moved around her room, as though expecting McCoy to jump out from under her bed.

"Maybe you just missed him." She said, her pitch becoming slightly shrill as he started to make his way to her.

His eyes sparkled mischievously as he neared her. She moved in front of the bathroom door to stop his search and he gave a small laugh. She was so busted.

"Well, if you see him let him know I've moved the beam down time to 1000."

He spun on his heel and gave a little wave, giving her a knowing look as he left her quarters.

Liz slapped her head, running a hand down her face. She felt the air behind her as the bathroom door slid open and McCoy was laughing so hard at seeing her standing there, blushing furiously.

"Not. Funny."

He threw on his clothes and came over to give her a chaste kiss.

"I swear, Jim must have a radar that lets him know when someone else is having fun. I'll see you in the transporter room." McCoy quipped.

He gave her a smile and moved to the door, looking around before he stepped out, making sure the corridor was completely deserted before he stepped out. He was still smiling, remembering the previous night when Jim hopped around the corner. A shit-eating grin on his face.

"I knew it!" He exclaimed.

McCoy scowled at his friend's enthusiasm but it fell short as he shook his head. Jim was practically skipping as he walked with him to his quarters and followed him inside, throwing himself onto his recliner, legs splayed over the side. McCoy tried to ignore his friend as he pulled out a fresh uniform to head into the shower but Jim quickly snatched them out of his hands.

"Dammit Jim. I've got to get dressed."

Jim scrunched up his face, holding the uniform at arms length before tossing it aside and he started rummaging through his drawers.

"You ever hear of privacy Jim? I swear you're like an infant sometimes." He scowled.

"Shore leave means time off. You know, no uniforms. Although, it looks like Liz helped you last night."

McCoy rolled his eyes, crossing his arms at his friend's lewd comments and watched him continue to rifle through his personal items. McCoy didn't have many personal clothes. He just didn't see much point as he was on duty almost all the time.

Jim finally pulled out a pair of dark blue jeans and a white shirt, tossing them to him, which McCoy caught with ease. He stood up and leaned against the dresser.

"I'm really happy for you. Seriously. She's a nice girl."

Bones sat on the bed, a serious expression on his face. His eyebrows coming together in a slight frown. What if he was wrong about where they were heading? It's possible that Liz may feel that he'd taken advantage of her. What if she didn't want to take it further than the one night.

As if reading his thoughts Kirk sat next to him, giving a long dramatic sigh.

"Bones, you're thinking too much. Just relax and enjoy it. I've booked you two at a hotel called the be'hai'la. I think it means guest."

McCoy gave a small smile, feeling the tension leaving his shoulders.

"Thanks, Jim. I'll see you at the transporter room."

McCoy walked into the transporter room with his overnight bag hanging off his shoulder. He had to admit he was nervous. Jim, Spock, Uhura and the Andorian were there but Liz was nowhere to be found. Jim was talking with Keval and Spock and Uhura were in their civvies. He was wondering if she was going to show up when he saw her rush in. A bag swinging on her shoulder and wearing a green knit top with boot-cut khakis. Her hair was in a loose pony tail and he couldn't help but notice the sway of her hips as she walked. She smiled at him, her emerald eyes sparkling as she moved to the transporter platform.

"Ok. We're all here. Energize Mr. Kyle."

After the tingle of the transporter wore off the heat hit him. It took it breath away and he looked to Liz who seemed similarly stunned by the temperature change. He looked over to Spock who had closed his eyes, almost basking in the heat. The ground was hard, dry earth. Reminding him of the survival courses he'd been forced to take at the academy in the Arizona desert. The sky was a crisp bright blue and the surrounding area was a mixture if warm colors, varying from deep red to tan. The buildings were a cream color, very simple in their designs but they were attractive in their appearance. They seemed to have been there for a long time but he knew they had only been constructed within the last year.

He looked around and noticed they had a greeting party. There were two vulcans standing stiffly in brown robes and Jim moved forward to greet them. McCoy recognized them from after the Narada. The first Vulcan was definitely Ambassador Sarek. He stepped forward and gave the traditional greeting while the second waited patiently. Kirk moved forward and greeted them, the perfect image of a Starfleet officer. McCoy noticed the second Vulcan had a small smile on his face at the sight. He knew that he was an older version of his Spock from another time but it was hard to imagine his Spock ever relaxing like that.

The group moved through the sprawling city center with Kirk and the two vulcan elders at the front. McCoy walked slower next to Liz who seemed to be wilting in the heat. Her movements were becoming more labored and her face was bright red but she didn't complain. She just kept moving. The older Spock turned his head to look at them and frowned slightly at Elizabeth who was huffing with the effort of walking. He leaned his head towards Sarek and whispered something. Sarek's head nodded and elder Spock fell behind, next to Liz and McCoy.

"How are you Dr. McCoy? It has been a long time."

His voice was deep and full of affection as he walked alongside them.

"Oh, you know, keeping busy. How are you Ambassador..." He trailed off waiting for the aging vulcan to answer.

"Surok. If I may ask, who is your companion?"

Liz gave a small smile and shifted her bag before answering.

"Elizabeth Parker, sir. It's nice to meet you."

Spock gave her a small smile in return and raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Please allow me to take your bag. I see that you are struggling with it."

She shook her head and stubbornly continued walking.

"Miss Parker, I can see that you are struggling. It is illogical to refuse assistance."

Liz huffed before turning back to Surok.

"Sir, if I may be frank and I don't mean to insult you but I was raised to respect my elders and to have someone who is an ambassador carry my belongings is rude. Also, I read in my studies that vulcan culture is that the guest does not take advantage of the host. I'm just not used to the heat being from Seattle."

Surok gave her a small nod.

"My mother was from there. She enjoyed the Pacific Northwest."

McCoy was impressed. Perhaps she had been studying about all cultures to decrease her risks of offending anyone since the Andorian incident. Her pace was slowing and even though it was a small bag she seemed to be stumbling. McCoy moved to place a hand on her elbow and help her but Surok was faster, quickly gripping her arm and startling her.

"I'm fine, sir."

Surok shook his head in amusement but didn't relinquish his grip.

"It is not a sign of weakness to accept help, Elizabeth. It is difficult for humans to adapt to the environment of New Vulcan. Especially when they are still recovering from injuries."

McCoy was glad when they finally arrived at the hotel. The air was instantly cooler, a welcome relief from outside. Liz looked like she was positively melting. Her face was bright red as Surok deposited her in one of the chairs that lined the entrance hall.

The hotel was simple, the walls stone with intricately carved arches. There was a long red rug on the stone floor muffling the sounds of footsteps. Some small statues lined the walls placed carefully in alcoves. McCoy moved and sat next to Liz who was slowly starting to return to a normal color. Surok was on her other side watching her with a measure of concern. Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Keval and Sarek were at the front desk checking in and they came back.

"Here are your keys Bones, Liz."

Kirk handed them each a set of keys to separate rooms which surprised McCoy at the thoughtfulness of his act. He clearly didn't want to put pressure on them so that they could choose their next course of action. Sarek stepped forward.

"I would like to invite all of you to a dinner to express our thanks for everything. It will just be a small dinner at my home."

"We'd love to. Thank you ambassador." Jim accepted on all their behalf however Keval stepped forward.

"I apologize, ambassador however I must decline. I need to co-ordinate the transfer of supplies. Thank you though."

Keval nodded and left.

"I will expect you at 2000 tonight."

Sarek turned and left with Spock and Uhura. McCoy wondered how Uhura was feeling with spending time with her boyfriend's father. He supposed they must be happy. Jim smiled at their small group now that it had thinned a bit he visibly relaxed. He leaned toward them, smirking.

"So, what are your plans for today?"

Surok stood up.

"I believe that Miss Parker and Dr. McCoy may wish to spend some time alone. I would like to catch up with you, Captain. If you wouldn't mind."

Surok left with Jim who threw them a lewd look over his shoulders earning a slight shove from the elderly Vulcan as they left. Liz was smiling brightly as she grabbed her bag. She had fully recovered from the heat.

"So, I say we drop off our stuff and explore. However, I am definitely going for a wardrobe change."

They spent the day looking at the new settlement, Liz had decided to wear a pale yellow sundress with flats while Uhura was in a white sundress with strappy heels to the dinner while they met up with Uhura and the captain to walk up to Sarek's home. Thankfully the sun was beginning to set so it was cooling down. The girls were walking in front of Jim and Bones. It was only expected to be a twenty minute walk through the town and up a trail.

"So, Bones, how's it going with you and..."

Kirk jerked his head towards the girls, smiling.

"I think I love her, Jim."

Kirk's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?"

McCoy smiled and shrugged.

"Yeah."

They were at the end of the trail when McCoy noticed a trio of men in black robes. They were moving slowly towards them. Spreading out as they walked. The girls were focusing on their conversation and not on their surroundings. Jim stiffened and was watching them as well. They slowly passed them and the next minute he saw stars as he was hit from behind. He staggered as he whirled around only to be hit with the butt of a gun from a green hand.

He went down hard and in his rapidly darkening vision he could see Liz, Uhura and Jim fighting for their lives. He struggled to get up to help and saw them all go down in a blast of phaser fire.

"Leave that one. We only want Kirk, the women are a bonus."

He felt a jolt to his body and everything went black.


	24. Chapter 24

**Hi readers! Thank you so much for reading and more importantly reviewing! The next chapter will have an original series baddie that is more humorous than bad and Spock will be more featured as a hero. We all know how much he loves Uhura. I got the idea of Orion pirates from the Enterprise episode "Borderland". I really hope you like it! Please read and review!**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Twenty-Four

Commander Spock looked to the clock on the mantel of his father's fireplace. Concern was working it's way in as he realized that Uhura was twenty minutes late. He knew that she was always prompt and this was disturbing to him. His elder self came up behind him.

"I find it unusual that our guests should be this late. Jim had stated that he would be arriving with Dr. McCoy, Miss Parker and Miss Uhura."

Spock turned to Surok to see that his eyes mirrored his own concern. A ringing caught his attention and he turned to see his father leave the room, robes billowing behind him to answer the comm only to have Sarek return momentarily. His forehead drawn and jaw set in clear anger.

"What has happened, father?"

"We have had three Vulcan children kidnapped. They were walking home from studies. An Orion Interceptor was seen leaving the system at high warp." Sarek's voice was low but trembling slightly.

Spock immediately flipped open his communicator.

"Spock to Uhura."

Nothing.

"Spock to Kirk."

Nothing. His heart rate increasing as he started to feel a sense of unease.

"Spock to Parker. Spock to McCoy."

He grabbed his robes and left out the door, Surok and Sarek on his heels. He had to find them. To find his Nyota. His pace increased down the dirt path as he rushed toward to main town square. This would have been the path his friends would have taken. Only small scrub brush and flowers lined the path. There were no additional light sources so Spock had to rely on his vision alone. He absently thought that he should have brought a phaser but then realized that he would not have been allowed one on New Vulcan. Why would he need one on a Vulcan colony.

The darkness was making it difficult to see anything on the path and his father's and Surok's footsteps behind him was distracting him. He heard something. His eyes darted around and he held up a hand to stop the other two so that he could listen. It was a small moan, too deep to be a woman's and it came from his right.

His steps quickened and his eyes made out a dark shape on the ground. He kneeled down and saw Dr. McCoy trying to get up. He was clearly injured and he laid a hand to stop him rising.

"Doctor, what happened here?"

McCoy's eyes fluttered open and were unfocused as he again attempted to get up. Spock tightened his grip.

"We were jumped. Three men in robes. I heard them say something like they were here for Jim. Oh, god!"

The doctor's eyes widened as he started to panic and Spock's fears were confirmed. It was not only the children that were taken.

"They said the women were a bonus. They took them. I couldn't save them."

His voice had risen and his struggles increased. Spock's hand clenched tightly, his anger began rising and he was finding it difficult to control his emotions. He took a deep breath, his thoughts whirring as he struggled to brush away his emotions. They would be of no use in getting back those that had been stolen.

"Calm yourself doctor. We will get them back."

Surok stepped forward, his features thrown into sharp relief by the waning light. He had a small frown on his face, the only evidence that he was disturbed by these events.

"Surok, do you know why this would happen?" Spock asked quietly.

He nodded gravely and Spock could feel his control slipping hands became fists at his side.

"Since the destruction of our home world, vulcans have become something of a...novelty to species with questionable morals. This, however, is the first successful attempt at kidnapping on the colony. Orion pirates would focus on children because they lack the control of adults and can be broken easily. It is possible that with Captain Kirk here they saw the chance to obtain the federation's most prominent captain as incentive to try again."

The words were spoken with disgust dripping from them. The outrage Spock was feeling began to intensify and his breathing began to quicken. A quick gasp from McCoy brought him back, realizing he was still holding the doctor's shoulder and he quickly released it. He gave Surok and his father one final look before standing and flipping open his communicator.

"Spock to Enterprise."

_"Enterprise here."_

"Transport Dr. McCoy and myself aboard. I need you to scan for the ion trail of the departing Orion Intercepter and plot a course. They have our people and three vulcans."

He closed the comm and fixed the two vulcans with a steely gaze.

"I will bring them back. All of them."

He felt the tingling sensation of the transporter take effect and readied himself to go to war. They had the woman he loved, his captain, a member of his crew and three innocent children.

Liz groaned and rolled over. Her body once again felt like he had been run over. She wondered if this was truly what it was like to be in Starfleet. She'd never had problems like this in her own time. She had been a nurse. Going to work, doing her job, going home, watching T.V. and going to bed. That had been it and although she loved excitement, this was getting to be ridiculous.

She carefully opened her eyes and was thankful it was slightly dark. It helped with her headache. She realized she was on the ground of a type of cell, and she could feel something stuck to her neck. She put a hand to it and had to jerk it away as it shocked her fingertips.

"Do not touch it."

A small voice came from her right and Liz turned, squinting in the darkness. There were three small children, Vulcan, she thought, if the ears were any indication. She looked past them to see more and saw Uhura was near the other gray wall still unconscious and next to her was the captain. There was a small pool of blood coming from a cut on his head.

She tried to get up but a wave of nausea brought her back down so she focused on crawling to her crew mates. Every movement sent an aching pain shooting up her neck and it felt like her head was going to explode. When she finally reached her friends she gave Uhura a quick check and saw only some bruises from the fight and a small electronic device stuck to her neck. She moved on to Kirk, carefully feeling under his shirt to see if there were any spinal injuries before turning him to the recovery position on his side. His face was a mottled collection of bruises and one small cut. She tore off a strip of her dress and tied it tightly around his head. She then move on to check the rest of him. She pulled up his shirt and saw a few bruises but nothing too bad but needed to check anyway. She put her ear to his chest and breathed a sigh of relief when she could hear a steady heartbeat and air being taken into both lungs. She quickly felt along his ribs and belly and limbs. Nothing broken but he also had a device stuck to him.

"Jim."

She started giving him a little shake that turned more insistent.

"Jim. Captain Kirk!"

She moved to Uhura who also wouldn't wake. She looked into both of their eyes and saw sluggish pupil reactions but normal under the circumstances and decided to look over their other cell mates. They were sat cross legged and had little expressions showing on their faces. All three were tiny Vulcan girls about the age of five. They were watching with avid interest and each was trembling slightly. She'd never met Vulcan kids so she wasn't really sure what to do.

"Hi. I'm Elizabeth but you can call me Liz. What's your names?"

She decided to treat them like the kids she used to babysit, just with less touching. They were silent. They were each wearing navy blue robes and it was unnerving. They looked to each other before the one to the right answered.

"I am T'Meni, this is T'Rea and the girl on the end is T'Pol."

Liz nodded in greeting but watched them carefully. She couldn't see any signs of physical injury but their clothing was covering the majority of them.

"Are any of you hurt?"

T'Rea spoke up this time, her eyes flitted around to her fellow children before settling back on Liz.

"We are uninjured but I must admit I am struggling to maintain my emotional barriers. I am feeling fear."

Liz's heart clenched at the small child's statement. She just wanted to hug her and tell her she'd be safe but she restrained herself. The other two looked at her with surprise, their almond eyes widening.

"Is anyone else?"

T'Meni and T'Pol slowly looked back to Liz and gave small curt nods.

"Well, I'm not sure what to do to alleviate your fear. If you were human children I would hug you and try to give you strength that way. What would your parents do?"

Before she knew it she was almost knocked across he room as three small bodies knocked into her. Their hands grasping at her and her mind was hit with fear that wasn't hers. It took her breath away and then she remembered that vulcans were touch telepaths. This must be the children's fears. It was like she was being hit from all sides and she struggled to calm herself, afraid she would cause more panic.

She focused on an image. Herself and the children in a boat in the ocean during a storm. The ocean being their feelings and fears, it was turbulent. The water spraying everywhere and rocking them violently. Storm clouds hung grey and heavy over them and wind wiped the girls' long hair around them.

She slowed her breathing and began to urge the water to calm. She could feel the children responding and doing the same through her guidance. She continued breathing slowly and soon the water stilled and the wind calmed. She moved on to send her feeling of warmth and reassurance as the image began to began to clear and the storm clouds left and the sky became a bright blue. The small hands left her and she slowly opened her eyes. The girls sat back.

"We apologize for our emotional outburst and thank you for your assistance. Usually a parent would assist us." T'Rea said quietly.

Liz gave them a small smile and nodded. The girls' postures were more relaxed and one by one they smoothed their hair and regained their composure, their faces smoothing into calm masks.

"It's ok, just next time, maybe a little more warning."

T'Meni's dark brown eyes were smiling, even though she wasn't and she nodded her understanding.

"Thank you t'sai."

Liz's eyebrows went up in surprise at being called lady. She knew it was a sign of respect. One by one each child closed their eyes as they began to meditate. Liz heard groaning from behind her and turned to see both Uhura and The captain struggling to get up.

"What happened?" Kirk mumbled.

Liz moved over to help them into sitting positions.

"I don't know. We've been kidnapped along with three children. No-one's come by yet."

Kirk's hand reached up to touch the device stuck to is neck and she quickly batted his hand away.

"I don't know what that is but it'll give you a jolt if you touch it."

Liz turned to take in their surroundings. She could feel a hum under her feet so it was possible they were on a ship. The three walls around them were a dark grey while the fourth was a buzzing force field that crackled dangerously.

"You're awake. Good."

They all turned to the new arrival. He was a huge green man. There was no hair on him and he was shirtless. His eyes were dull but mean. Kirk jumped up and walked to the force field.

"Who are you and what right do you have to kidnap Starfleet officers and innocent federation citizens?"

The man just laughed and straightened himself, his big muscles rippling.

"Who I am is not important and you are no longer Starfleet officers and citizens of the Federation. You are now property of the Orion Syndicate and will be taken to the Verex III processing center and sold to the highest bidder."

He crossed his arms and smiled at them. Liz started to feel her stomach drop, her mouth became dry. She had read of the Orion Syndicate and her knowledge was limited. All she really knew was that they were slave traders and dealt with the black market. The man pointed towards them.

"Those nice little accessories you all have are known as neurolytic restraints. If any of you try to escape or disobey orders you will receive a shock to your cerebral cortex causing you to collapse and have seizures. The more you try, the higher the jolt. Believe me, I do not want to risk damage to my merchandise. I know who you are Kirk. You will set me up for life."

Jim's fists were clenched at his side, he was trembling with fury. Liz waited for him to say something but was thankful he didn't. That man was at least three times Kirk's size and weight and she didn't know whether or not what he'd said was true. Liz felt a tug on her dress and looked to see the girls holding on to her clothing, carefully not touching her skin but close nonetheless. Their faces were calm but their eyes were fearful.

The force field went down and the green Orion stepped in causing Liz to step back, putting her arms up to shield the children. She knew it would be useless if he tried to take them but she had to try.

Kirk and Uhura stepped forward in defensive postures. Only to have Uhura knocked to her feet and Kirk immediately started kicking and punching the Orion. The blows knocked him back but he lifted a device like a remote and pointed it at Kirk who immediately fell to the ground, writhing and bucking. His eyes rolled back in his head. The sight sent a ripple of anger and she started to move forward but three tiny sets of hands gripped her dress forcing her to stay. She couldn't leave them.

"I am only here for Kirk. Believe it or not I am taking him to the medical bay to confirm his identity and repair some of the damage in the acquisition. A healthy prisoner is worth more. Liz watched with horror as he was picked up like a limp rag doll and carried out of their cell. Once the Orion left the force field went back up and she ran over to Uhura.

"You ok?"

She sat up and was breathing heavily, her face pale as she held her wrist.

"I think Bubba there broke my wrist." She snarled.

"Let me look at it."

She took Uhura's hand and flexed the fingers and moved her hand back and forth.

"Not broken, just a bad sprain. Any ideas? We've got to get out of here."

Uhura shook her head but then started frowning and looking at her neck.

"What?"

"Let me look at that."

Liz tilted her head to give her better access and Uhura squinted and started pulling at her own hair, grabbing a small clip.

"It'll send out a shock if you touch it so be careful."

"I'm gonna try to open it up and take a look. I might be able to disable it. I'm not anywhere near the captain's level of technical skill but I might be able to make a start."

Liz tilted her head back and could see the children watching. They weren't much for talking but at least they were calm.

"T'Meni, T'Rea, T'Pol? This is lieutenant Uhura."

All three nodded greeting.

"You kids go and keep a lookout. Let us know if anyone's coming. Can you do that for us?" Liz whispered.

"Yes, t'sai."

Uhura stopped her working and looked at Liz in puzzlement.

"What?"

Uhura shook her head and moved back in position. She could feel her trying to unscrew and pry the cover off.

"Got it!"

Uhura smiled and showed her a small rectangular piece of metal and then set back to work. Liz was beginning to get a crick in her neck from being in this awkward position when T'Rea flipped her head around.

"They're coming back with the human male."

Immediately, Uhura's hands shoved the clip in Liz's bushy hair and pulled it down to cover their handy-work. It had just been in time because the force field came back down. The children ran behind Liz and Uhura as Bubba brought Jim in.

Liz could see he was staggering and was unceremoniously thrown onto the floor. Both women rose and Liz went to the captain on the floor and Uhura ran towards the force field, her hair flying behind her and started screaming in some language she couldn't recognize but Liz understood the gestures she was flinging at him. She looked down at Jim and could see he was relatively unharmed but he was out of it. He was giggling sleepily as Uhura threw one last gesture and stormed off to rejoin them.

"You are a fiery thing. I think you will sell quickly. Someone will enjoy breaking you." The brute laughed walked away.

"Miss Uhura, what you said is not anatomically possible even with his mother."

T'Rea's statement caused Uhura to blush and mumble before she moved back to sit next to Liz and the children went back to check if they were being observed.

"Captain? Are you ok?"

Liz leaned down to help him sit up though he was leaning heavily to one side.

"Damn Uhura, you kiss your mother with that mouth? Where'd you learn those phrases?"

The words came out slurred and he pulled on a crooked grin. The communications officer threw him a grimace and pulled Liz's hair back to start again on the nuerolytic restraint.

It was a good ten minutes before Liz got her first jolt. She pulled herself up off the ground feeling as if every muscle had run a marathon and her left ear ringing.

"That hurt."

Uhura ran over but the children were faster in reaching her. Their expressions were cute, like little adults. Jim slowly came over and was frowning in concern.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Yeah. You?"

He nodded. He'd rapidly woken up soon after being returned, his bright blue eyes now focused and determined as he checked ever corner of the cell, looking for any way out.

"Let me try?" He asked Uhura.

"Good luck."

She handed him the clip and once more Liz was tilting back letting him work on the restraint.

"Do you even know what you're doing?" She whispered.

"Do you know I've never heard that from a woman?" He laughed.

"Smartass!" She grinned, feeling a little less scared.

He fiddled with the restraint and sat back on his haunches, his eyes dark.

"It's not possible to deactivate it with what I have but since it receives data from the remote, I think I can set it to send data."

"Huh?"

"I can get it to transmit a type of SOS signal. It'd come up on a scan from a tricorder but it'd only have a range of one mile."

"That's great but can you do the kids first?"

He shook his head.

"Not until I've tested it first with you. I need to make sure I'm able to do it without little vulcans shooting across the room. Now hold still."

She bit her lip, anxious that there'd be time to do the kids. She was honestly scared. What if no-one found them? She closed her eyes and let Kirk work on the device, focusing on staying calm. She had to.


	25. Chapter 25

**Hi to the fanfiction readers, **

**I just want to say thank you so much for your words of support. I had my test on Thursday and should find out the results on Monday. I'm less worried because I was told that the doctor would talk to me on Monday. My experience has been that they would tell you straight away if something was up. I'm leaning towards me just having lumpy breasts. **

**Anyway, I hope this chapter is ok. I know it's a little short but I wanted to have more action and longer scenes in the next one. I live for reviews!**

**tishbing**

Chapter Twenty-Five

Spock was at his science station, repeating his earlier scans and coming up with nothing. His hand gripped the handle so tight that he could feel the metal giving way and bending.

"Commander, we are receiving a hail from New Vulcan."

A young blond man looked over to him and waited. Spock did not need to take away time from his search. The Orion's trail has dissipated and he had no leads as to where they were heading. Common courtesy and the realization that the vulcans had lost people forced him to accept the call.

"Route it through to the ready room, ensign." He tersely said.

"Hold on Commander, I'm supposed to be in on that call."

Spock turned to the newcomer and saw Dr. McCoy rushing from the turbolift. He had clearly not been healed but his eyes were determined and Spock allowed him to follow. The IDIC symbol came up on the screen and Spock saw his elder self on the screen, his angular features drawn in what he knew to be concern.

_"Spock, I assume that you may have lost the ion trail from the Orion Intercepters by now."_ He said smoothly.

"Affirmative. We are starting a standard search grid to try and find them."

Even the words sounded hollow.

_"You will not. There is a high probability that they will be taken to a processing center to be sold there. The most likely location is Verex III. It is in an area of space located between the Klingon Empire and the Orion Syndicate. I will send you the co-ordinates."_

A pause and Spock saw them come up on the display. His counterpart continued.

_"As you can see it is not within Federation controlled space. You will not be able to get to the planet without having someone help you."_

McCoy was watching the exchange quietly but Spock could tell that he was seething. Spock struggled to keep his voice even.

"And do you happen to know of someone?"

_"As a matter of fact, yes, I do. He will not help willingly however, I believe that the two of you may be able to convince him."_

A file was sent and Spock quickly pulled it up. It was a profile of a petty smuggler. There were future dates of his crimes and punishments. Spock looked at the data puzzled. How could this individual be of any use to them.

"Surok, how can this Harcourt Mudd assist us in any way."

His frown was met by an amused look from the older man.

_"He has dealt with smuggling as you can see. Some of his associates have been from Verex III. He should have the access codes to get your people in. After that, you're on your own. If my dates are accurate, he should currently be hiding on an Arronian freighter leaving Antares Pi IV to escape his wife, Stella Mudd. You may be able to search it on the premise of the fact that it carries illegally distiller liquor."_

Spock gave a curt nod.

"Thank you, Surok. Live long and prosper."

_"You are welcome and good hunting."_

Spock quickly moved to the bridge, leaving McCoy stumbling in his wake.

"Helm, plot a course to Antares Pi IV. Maximum warp."

Sulu looked up in surprise but quickly entered in the co-ordinates while Chekov plotted the course.

"We will be there in two hours, sir."

McCoy was bouncing on his toes, his face was twisted in worry for his friends.

"Spock, how are we going to get this Mudd guy to help us? I doubt we can just walk up and say "Hey, would you mind helping us break into a smuggling ring?"."

Spock downloaded the information onto a PADD and continued to read into Surok's notes. Finding several interesting references to the man's character.

"I believe that the threat of jail should be sufficient to ensure his willingness to assist us in our goals."

McCoy's eyes looked like they were going to pop.

"You're gonna _blackmail_ him?"

Spock calmly looked up at the doctor.

"Yes."

They arrived at the Antares Pi solar system as a large freighter was pulling out, it's shape was that of a long thin frame surrounded by round, hexagonally shaped containers attached. It was bulky and moved slowly away from the planet. Most people would look at it and dismiss the freighter without a second thought. Spock was not most people.

"Hail the freighter."

"Aye, Sir."

The view screen came up showing a young black haired man. His forehead had a subtle ridge going from across the bridge of his nose and moving up either side in a wide v that was peppered with pale brown spots. His face was surprised but his eyes were flitting around nervously. Spock gave a small smile.

_"This is Captain Marlea of the Arronian Freighter Antares Jewel. How my we help you?"_

Spock moved forward, hands clasped behind his back and took his place in the center of the bridge.

"Captain Marlea, this is Acting Captain Spock of the Federation Starship Enterprise. We are here because we received information that you may be carrying contraband liquor. Because this is federation space we have the right to search and seizure..."

The Antarean started to sputter. Spock took the opportunity.

"...Unless you have a Harcourt Fenton Mudd, also known as Harry Mudd, on your ship. If he was handed over this incident could be easily...forgotten."

Spock stared down the man and waited. He needed this encounter to be over quickly so that they could get to Verex III in time. The Captain had started to bite his lip in thought.

_"Very well. Here are his co-ordinates."_

The view screen returned to it's view of the outside as the freighter captain shut off the transmission. Spock turned to Ensign Chekov.

"Ensign, do we have him?"

The young Russian turned to him smiling.

"Yes, Commander. Transporter room one."

Spock breathed a small sigh of relief and started to head to the transporter room to greet their "guest".

"Set course for Verex III. Maximum warp. Lieutenant Sulu, you have the bridge."

The ride to the transporter room was short and he was met by Dr. McCoy at the entrance. They walked in to an unusual sight. The man who had been identified as Harry Mudd was curled up, asleep on the transporter pad. He was large, balding and wearing an unusual assortment of clothing. A bright orange shirt with puffy sleeves with a black undershirt, black plus fours with calf length boots. The effect was reminiscent of a pirate even complete with a large bushy brown mustache.

"_This_ is the man that's gonna help us?"

McCoy's voice was loud enough to cause Mudd to stir and wake with a snort. He looked around blearily before throwing his hands up.

"I don't suppose I was upgraded by the kindness of Captain Marlea's heart, was I?" He asked warily.

"No." Spock answered.

The large man got up and shifted away nervously, his mustache quivering.

"Perhaps my reputation preceded me. Perhaps you are interested in a business opportunity?"

McCoy and Spock looked at each and McCoy's face spread into a large grin. One that Spock almost thought was disturbing. The doctor stepped around him and came close to Harry Mudd, within his personal space and it forced him to back into a wall.

"You could say that."

McCoy sat in on the staff meeting, two of their numbers missing as Spock outlined his plan. His face was set as he listened to the crew's input and kept an eye on their reluctant co-conspirator. The threat of jail had been an effective incentive for him to agree but McCoy had added that if he didn't help, he'd alert his wife of his whereabouts and that practically had the man stammering his assurances.

"I believe that the best option is to pose as buyers for our people and the children. In order to secure our entrance Mr. Mudd will provide the access codes."

Chekov spoke up, his face flushed in excitement.

"I believe that I kin program ze deflector dish to disguise our ident signature to make us appear to zair sensors as anuzzer ship. I vill need help from engineering."

Spock nodded his approval and looked toward Lt. Scott.

"Aye, I think we can do it. But it won't hide us if they look out th' window."

Spock pulled up a schematic of the planet and it hovered in the center of the table. He pointed out a section of the planet that had a small base.

"I believe that after we beam down our team, the Enterprise should move to the dark side of the planet it should go unnoticed. Then after a set period of time the ship can return and collect us. Our away team will include Dr. McCoy, Lt. Sulu, myself and Mr. Mudd. Once on the planet we will need to locate our people and create a diversion. Any ideas?"

Spock looked around the table and Mudd hesitantly raised his hand.

"Uh...Commander? I...never agreed to go with you to the planet. Only the codes."

McCoy scowled and remembered the description of Surok's experience with the man and smiled, leaning across the table. His own experience with his ex had put a level of understanding in his mind.

"Well, if you'd rather not go with us...I'm sure your Stella is worried sick about you. After all, you did sneak off without telling her after what...two months of marriage?"

McCoy was pleased to see the man pale at the mention of his wife. So old Spock had been right in noting the man's fear. Now, he had been intimidated by Jocelyn but it had apparently been nothing compared to the level of fear Mudd was showing.

"Fine. You might want to focus on a way of deactivating the neurolytic restraints. I've only been to the planet once and seen that every prisoner that is for sale has one attached. It's a way to control them. They try to escape, they get zapped." Mudd grumbled.

Spock sat and thought. If he could get one of the prisoners, he might be able to neutralize the tags. He would need to get an example of one.

"We will need enough credits to purchase at least one." Spock murmured.

The crew nodded and set to work, McCoy looking around anxious. They had eighteen hours before they arrived at their destination.

Liz watched the captain work. His hands carefully prying and poking at the wires. So far he had gotten the children and herself set to emit the tracking signal and was frantically working to adjust Uhura's device. The children were clustered around her as she checked the halls for any hint of their captors. It had been more than twenty-four hours. They had been provided with meals and had been left mostly unharmed. The captain had gained a black eye after Bubba had grabbed at Uhura but other than that they had been left alone. Her anxiety level had started to rise since their last meal had been delivered by a young Orion male who had smiled and told them that soon they would be arriving.

"Alright, Uhura. You're set. I can't do my own. Any chance?"

His voice was tired and Liz could see that his face was pale with exhaustion. He had not rested since they had been captured. Liz was starting to feel the strain from the children. T'Meni, T'Rea and T'Pol were broadcasting to her frequently. Their control was very weak and they had basically attached themselves to her hip. She didn't know how she could continue to help them if she was struggling herself.

Uhura moved in, taking the clip and looking at the device. She bit her lip and frowned as she carefully pried the cover off.

"I don't know." She hesitated.

The Captain turned to her, grabbing her arms and meeting Uhura's dark brown eyes with his steely blue.

"You are the best damn communications officer I've ever worked with. I know that you can get this to work and send a signal. If I can do it, so can you."

His words gave her the strength she needed. Uhura's face was set and she gave a curt nod as Kirk released her. She set to work and only caused the restraint to go off once before she proclaimed that she was done. Liz heard the stomping of boots and hissed.

"They're coming!"

Uhura snapped on the cover and the girls opened their eyes from their nap after hearing her. They grabbed at Liz's arms and hid behind her as a group of large Orion men walked in, Bubba in the front.

"Humans, Vulcan children. We are here. You will follow me to be transported down to the surface where you will be bid on and sold for the highest price."

They were beamed directly into cages. The children were kept with Liz. When their captors had tried to separate them, all three had fought back in an amazing display of self defense. The men explained that they didn't want to risk damaging their goods so she stayed with them while the captain and Uhura were placed in another cage across the way. The room was loud and smelled horrendous. The floor was filthy as was their new accommodations. Liz was starting to feel panic as she saw multiple aliens leering through the bars of her prison at her and the children. The captain and Uhura leered back at the prospective buyers while Liz just felt sick.

All too soon her door opened, she looked to the captain across the way and his eyes were blazing with fire. Uhura had her hands clenched in fists and she moved back, her own hands ready to defend herself and the little girls behind her.

"Come. Now." Bubba stepped forward to grab her with a meaty hand and she kicked out, knocking it away.

"Hell no." She growled.

The man just laughed and raised his remote. The next thing she knew she was on the floor, her head feeling like it was going to explode, every limb twitching and feeling like it was on fire. She turned her head sluggishly to the side, feeling tears falling, blurring her vision and she thought she saw a dirty Dr. McCoy in the crowd around her cage as she was picked up like a sack of potatoes. Frowning, she squinted to try and see better. He was gone before she could focus.

He couldn't be here. It was impossible. As despair started to fill her she thought that at least in her last hours she had seen him in her heart. She held onto the thought that he would at least be in her memories.


	26. Chapter 26

**Hi! Sorry it took so long to update. I haven't heard much from anyone so please comment! I live for them and I inspires me to continue! Please?**

**Ok, my mammogram came back negative. Just a cyst so I'm happy and healthy. Thank you so much for your kind words of support. They made me smile nod helped me not worry as much.**

**So, any ideas for next mishap? Anyone want anything special to happen? Please let me know. Also, I know this sounds mean but I wanted Kirk to be the one that was hurt. He hasn't had the joy of McCoy harassing him yet.**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Twenty-Six

Dr. McCoy quickly finished applying the final touches of Spock's prosthesis to his forehead and leaned back, getting a better look. They had two hours before they arrived at Verex III and he was nervous as hell. He didn't want to think what would happen if they were too late. He swore he was gonna install tracking devices on his idiot best friend and Liz. He was pretty sure Spock was thinking along the same lines for Nyota.

"Ok, Spock. I'm all done here. I think you should be able to pass for a Romulan. Just be careful."

The commander picked up a mirror next to him and looked closely at himself. McCoy waited.

"I believe you have done an adequate job doctor."

"I try. After all, I'm a doctor not a damn cosmetician."

He grabbed the tools and quickly made his way out of the room. His hands were shaking at this point from a mixture of fear, anticipation and anger. He had to get a grip on himself otherwise Spock wouldn't allow him to accompany them to he planet. He packed his medical kit in a satchel and went to his quarters to change into his clothes. Two hours could not come fast enough.

Dr. McCoy stood next to Sulu, Spock and Mudd in the transporter room. His heart was beating a violent tattoo in his chest as they waited for the go ahead. Spock was standing ramrod straight, his hands in fists so tight that his knuckles were white. Sulu's eyes were the only part of him betraying his calm stance, flicking around the room as he carefully put his katana in it's sheath. Mudd on the other hand looked positively furious, his face was red as Spock manhandled him onto the platform.

_"Transporter room, this is the bridge. We've received authorization to beam down. Good luck. We will see you soon."_

The serious group took their places on the platform and was soon in an open area. The floor was filthy and dirt covered, the large room held rows and rows of iron barred cages filled with people. Most of them were men but occasionally he could see women. Their faces were blank and they stared ahead with dead eyes. He could see small rectangular boxes attached to their necks and once he saw what they did it took all his reserve to not lose it.

Spock had surreptitiously taken out a small tricorder, he knew the main possibility of finding their missing people was to first locate the children. He looked first for Vulcan life signs but tilted his head as a signal came through. A series of three rapid beeps, three longer, then three more rapid beeps. It was unusual. Sulu came up behind him and took a look.

"I think that's morse code, SOS, sir."

Spock saw that there were six different broadcastings of the code.

"Fascinating. I believe we have located our people. Mr. Sulu, you and Mr. Mudd need to go and register us to be able to bid. Dr. McCoy and I will make sure that the hostages are uninjured."

Spock watched them leave and the doctor and he followed the signal. This made their task significantly easier. With the sheer amount of people here he had been unsure he would have found them. The six different signals assured him that all six of them were within the same area and potentially alive. He sped up his pace through the throng of people and came to a long row of cages. There were fewer in each and he quickly saw the profile of Uhura. His breath caught as he saw her disheveled state. Her face was twisted in anger and she was screaming in the direction of the cage across them. Her arms were being held back by Jim, who had an equally angry look on his face.

His control was close to becoming compromised as he saw the dusky bruises on her face and arms, the captain was not much better and his eyes were slightly glassy, even in anger. His muscles tensed but he remained still and followed their gaze and what he saw made him clench his jaw. A large Orion male was descending on Miss Parker as she put her arms out to shield three small vulcan girls. She quickly went into a fighting stance but he could see she would not stand a chance. The man reached out a large hand only for it to be kicked away. He then raised a remote and he saw her drop to the ground. Her mouth was foaming and her limbs jerking and twitching. McCoy surged forward and Spock had to quickly grab him to stop him revealing who they were.

"What the hell! We can't just sit by and do nothing." He hissed.

"We have to find a way to remove those devices and not reveal ourselves doctor."

The young CMO stopped his struggle and looked on as Liz was carried away, pain evident on her face and Spock slowly moved to the captain and Uhura. She had stopped her fighting and he was pleased to see her injuries appeared superficial. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Spock and the doctor looking in at them but she made no outward sign of recognition. They moved closer to each other and she moved her hand to grip the bars tight. Spock wanted to simply take her in his arms and leave but the device on her neck prevented him. He had to leave her until they could deactivate them. He brushed her fingers with his gently to let her know how much he loved her. She gave him a small smile before moving back to allow Kirk to talk with him.

"Dammit Jim, your adrenalin levels are through the roof, you have some unknown chemical in your bloodstream. It looks like it's supposed to be some kind of tranquilizer. I'm surprised you're still standing. There's also unusual electrical activity in your brain. I'm worried about more seizures until that thing is removed."

McCoy ran his scanner over both of the officers, hiding it carefully. His mouth a thin line as he looked over the results.

"And Uhura?" Spock whispered.

"She's fine. Some bruises and a sprain. I need to check over the kids."

He quietly moved away and the commander moved closer. The captain's eyes were definitely glassy, his breathing was ragged as he leaned against the bars. The sight was alarming to him.

"So...romulan, huh?" He whispered.

"Yes. It was an adequate disguise. We are working on your freedom. Be ready."

As much as he wanted to stay, he noticed that he was gaining attention from his lengthy look at the prisoners. He quickly moved away to join the doctor in his evaluation of the children.

"They're ok." He mumbled and moved on.

Three pairs of wide brown eyes watched him. He could see the fear that they were struggling to control as they huddled together.

"Do not fear kanu. We are attempting your rescue." He whispered.

Three small heads nodded. The doctor returned with Sulu and Mudd and handed him a small electronic pad. He saw that it was used for placing bids. The name Tamulok was across the top as well as his credit limit. Spock had chosen a romulan cover name to ensure their identities remained unknown.

"Mr. Sulu, please give hand out the transporter enhancers. I do not wish to risk discovery of our plan. Miss Parker has already been taken away. Only five are needed for now."

Sulu nodded and reached into his pocket, withdrawing the small devices. He carefully handed them through the bars to each child and his captain and Uhura. Each person hid them carefully in their clothing.

"The bidding is starting." Mudd informed him.

Spock nodded and they all moved into the main area but not before giving Nyota one last look. She mouthed "I love you." And Spock had to force himself to leave her. Her eyes, so dark and beautiful looked at him as he turned and left.

The main area had a pen in which the bidders stood and waited. There was a raised metal platform with a screen behind it explaining the item for sale and the bidding amounts. There were species of every kind around him. Male, female, romulan, human, even Klingons were bidding. Liz stumbled in the line and felt a sharp prick in her neck before she was shoved onto the platform, her vision was clearing but she still felt like she was going to throw up. The bright lights hit her and she was grabbed and roughly turned in a circle. The drug making her more pliant than she wanted to be.

"Average adult human female, approximately 25% of her life cycle has gone. No deformities."

The lights were too bright for her to see the crowd and she just stood there dumbly, her mouth dry and head pounding as a few beeps went off behind her.

"Sold. Tamulok. 15,000 credits received."

She couldn't believe it. Sold! Her life was over. She was roughly shoved aside.

"That's barely enough for the cost of acquiring you." The Orion hissed.

She fell into another captor, her legs flailing. He straightened her and waited for her new owner to arrive. Her hands and feet were numb as she waited.

"I am here to claim my property. I wish for her to be released to me now...as she is."

The deep voice behind her sounded familiar but whatever they had injected her with was making it hard for her to move or think, her limbs heavy and thoughts were unfocused. She could hear and see but she couldn't really do much.

"Normally we remove the neurolytic restraints and give them to you after the auction is over. Sorry."

A third voice joined in the conversation. It wasn't one she recognized.

"What if we double the bid? All we ask is that you turn off the device but leave it on her. I think this technology could be useful to me."

A sigh and then she heard a beep before strong hands grabbed her and steered her out. She just stared straight ahead as she was dragged into an empty room. Once the door closed, hands grabbed her face and she saw Leonard looking into her eyes. His brown eyes full of fear.

"Liz? Liz? Can you hear me?" He frantically said, emphasizing his words with a small shake.

McCoy's heart stopped as he looked into her eyes. The pupils were blown overpowering the green irises, her face blank as she stared ahead. He pulled out his scanner and ran it over her and frowned at the results but breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Is she severely injured?" Spock asked as he moved over to her still form. There was no movement from her as he reached up to carefully remove he device from her neck.

"Not as bad as Jim. She's drugged up to he gills though and some bruising."

He looked up to see Spock looking over the restraint that he removed. He pulled out his tricorder and was scanning it closely.

"Can you deactivate them all?" The doctor asked apprehensively.

Spock looked closer at his readings and gave a small nod.

"I believe so. I was able to scan while Miss Parker's device was deactivated. The code is simple enough. The only problem is that once I set my tricorder to emit the code it will disable every single neurolytic restraint at the same time. We will need to leave immediately. The transporter enhancers will automatically activate once I send the code."

Spock pulled out his communicator.

"Spock to Enterprise. Stand by to energize in ten minutes."

_"Aye, sir,"_

McCoy turned to Sulu who was handing out the last of he enhancers to Mudd and Spock. He quickly attached one to Liz. She didn't even acknowledge him as he stuck it to her.

"Sulu. I need you to stay with her while we make sure no-one else is sold."

He jerked his head in understanding and moved next to her. Spock finished setting his tricorder and stepped out, McCoy on his heels. They got back to the pit of bidders and he felt Spock tense next to him, a low growl in his throat. Uhura had just been sold.

"Next is adult human male. Captain James Tiberius Kirk."

The explanation was shorter. The way the people around him tensed up and were tapping at their pads with a speed that was nothing short of frightening. The captain had clearly not received the same shot as Liz. He was fighting the man holding him, his blue eyes blazing. This just made the tapping around them increase. Bones wondered how much longer this was going to go on. His nerves were fraying as time seemed to slow.

"Sold. Ten million credits. Buyer anonymous."

He watched in horror as his friend was pushed away.

"How much longer?" He hissed.

Before he finished his question he felt the telltale tingle of the transporter, the dark pit replaced by the bright white of the Enterprise's transporter room. He whirled around to see himself, Spock, Mudd and the three little vulcan girls. He felt the blood drain from his face and he turned to the technician.

"Did you get the others?"

His voice was getting more hysterical with each passing moment.

"Yes. Transporter room two. We have Parker, the captain, Uhura and Sulu." The technician read off.

Spock swiftly moved to the wall comm.

"Spock to bridge, plot course to New Vulcan, maximum warp, now! We need medical teams to transporter rooms one and two."

As Spock finished the doors slid open, Nurse Chapel and orderlies rushing in.

"Already here. M'Benga took the others to the medical bay. The captain started having a seizure on the platform."

McCoy ran to the medical bay to hear alarms blaring, the young blond shaking and struggling to breath.

"Damn! Is it the neurolytic restraint?" He shouted.

"Negative."

"Ten CCs triativan now!" He shouted.

Nurse Baker applied the hypospray quickly as he ran his scanner over him. The shaking stopped immediately. His friend's face was pale and still. The drugs in his system were causing his kidneys to fail. For the next hour he worked on stabilizing him. He had to flush his system, using dialysis and IV fluids but he finally stabilized.

He eventually moved Jim to a private room. The machines softly beeped and he looked down at the young man who was finally sleeping peacefully. McCoy allowed himself a moment to catch his breath. He was emotionally exhausted. Jim had had two more seizures before he had been able to remove the toxins. His eyes started to burn and his vision blurred as tears threatened to fall. He ran a hand through the blond hair and sighed.

"Dammit kid." He grumbled softly.

He heard the door open behind him but didn't move.

"Doctor? How is the captain?"

Spock walked calmly up to stand next to him, hands clasped behind his back.

"He'll be fine in a day or two. He just needs to rest. How about everyone else? Any sign of pursuit?"

Spock gave a very unvulcan-like sigh. His face was a calm mask but his eyes showed just how tired he was.

"Uhura and the children are in adequate condition and have been released. There is no sign of pursuit. Miss Parker is under sedation in the next room until her system clears itself of the unknown drug. The children refuse to leave her side. It is...most unusual."

McCoy ran a hand over his face and smiled.

"So, are you thinking about putting tracking chips in Uhura and Jim too?" McCoy quipped.

Spock gave a small smile. For McCoy it was the equivalent of the vulcan rolling around the floor in hysterics.

"Perhaps we can put a request in at Starfleet Command." He said quietly.

McCoy looked at Spock in shock and started laughing. The worry ebbing away and he gave Jim's hair one more ruffle before checking on Liz.


	27. Chapter 27

**Sorry for the long wait. I got hooked on reading other people's stories and I was struggling with writer's block. I know this is a short chapter but the next couple of chapters will be the beginning of the end and near the end I will leave it up to you (my wonderful readers) to decide Liz's fate! Mwahaha! Reviews and comments are always welcome!**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Liz could feel the fog clouding her start to lift and slowly opened her eyes. Though the lights were muted, she could tell she was in sickbay and she smiled in relief.

"Good. You're awake. I'll just go get the doctor."

Before Liz could turn to the voice, it was gone. She pulled herself into a sitting position and immediately saw three sets of large brown eyes on her left watching her.

"Hi girls. Are you okay?" She asked.

Little T'Meni moved closer and placed a hand on Liz's arm. The gesture did not go unnoticed and she smiled in appreciation.

"We are adequate. We were concerned for health as you had not been released like the Lieutenant." Her voice only had a slight waver but her face was smooth with no expression.

"I'm fine. A little tired but fine."

She wanted to hug all three of the girls in relief that they were safe but she restrained her impulse. She didn't want to upset the delicate balance that they had over their emotions. T'Rea moved forward and placed her hand next to T'Meni's.

"Fine has many definitions."

Liz couldn't help but roll her eyes and a small laugh escaped her lips.

"Fine. I am adequately well."

T'Pol moved forward and mimicked the actions of the other two little girls. She was the smallest of the group and the most quiet but her voice was strong and sure.

"We wished to convey something to you upon your awakening."

Curiosity spiked and she looked down at the three pixie-like children. Their faces each put on a look of sheer determination and if she wasn't mistaken a small amount of hope in their eyes.

"Yes?" She asked.

"We want to thank you for your assistance and the protection you provided during our time together."

Liz smiled a full smile. She was so glad that she had been able to help even if it had been in a small way. She wished there was more she could do to help them but getting them home and back to their families was going to have to be enough.

"It was no problem. You were all so brave. I bet your parents are so proud of you."

They each had a small smile on their lips but said nothing and nodded before climbing up onto the biobed and each giving her a small hug.

"I thought hugs were considered illogical." She teased.

"It was to comfort you Elizabeth." T'Pol whispered.

All three scrambled down and left and before she had a chance to move Dr. McCoy rushed in, scanner at the ready and pale faced. She gave him a small smile to reassure him but it didn't work. He just grunted and started his scan.

"Where did the girls go?" She asked.

"I sent them to go with Uhura and Spock. Any headaches? Nausea?"

"No. I'm fine. Did anyone else get ill?"

His face was it's own answer. The dark circles under his eyes and his rumpled uniform. His brown eyes dull with exhaustion.

"The captain?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah. He's stable and you can be released."

His voice was quiet as he put down the tricorder facing away from her. His hands splayed across the small table and his shoulders were hunched and tense. Liz slipped off the bed and came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. He stiffened for a moment before turning and hugging her, kissing the top of her head and squeezing her tightly against him. His clean smell and hearing his heart helped her feel safe and home.

They stayed like that for a while before she pulled away and looked up. His eyes were shining with unshed tears. She put her hands on his head and pulled him to her and gently brushed her lips against his. She tilted her head to deepen the kiss and his grip on her back tightened. She wanted to let him know that she was here...with him and that she was fine.

"Oh Liz, I was so damn scared." He leaned his forehead against hers.

"I'm here and I'm ok. Thank you."

She pulled away and ran a hand through her hair, snagging it on a few strands. Fortunately, Leonard had the foresight of having put her in scrubs so she was able to step out of the room without too much embarrassment. The medbay was quiet. It was late evening.

"Bones."

She turned to Leonard who scowled and quickly moved to the back where the private rooms were. She followed and watched as he started checking Jim over. His face was pale but his eyes were bright as he started trying to sit up only to be shoved back down by the doctor.

"Dammit Jim! Lie down."

"I'm fine. When can I get out of here?"

McCoy rolled his eyes in feigned irritation but his face softened in relief. If Kirk was trying to leave then that meant he was ok.

"Maybe tomorrow but you're off duty for the next two days. The drugs that were in your system caused your kidneys to start to fail and the repeated shocks in conjunction with the drugs caused three grand mal seizures. I was able to repair the damage and flush everything out of your system but you need time to recover."

The blond nodded and gave a small smile which turned wider.

"Can you believe someone wanted to spend ten million credits for me? I must be popular. I wonder if it was that pretty brunette in the crowd."

McCoy growled and stabbed him with a hypo causing him to yelp in surprise.

"Ow! Hey! Isn't it a part of he Hippocratic Oath to do no harm?"

"Yeah, to people not idiots."

Liz giggled and moved closer. Jim looked good considering everything.

"Hey Liz."

"Captain."

"Jim."

She gave a curt nod at his correction.

"Everyone make it?"

"Yeah."

She waited while the scans were complete and sat with Jim for a while listening to stories of how he had met the doctor and the adventures during their academy days. It made her miss Earth. She loved Leonard and the life that she had gained here on the Enterprise but she wondered what it was like now. She felt like she was being pulled in too many directions. This latest bout had her questioning her choices. She sat with Jim and listened as he regaled her with stories until he passed out from exhaustion. His face was so young in slumber and she wondered at what point it would become lined with the stresses put upon him.

Pulling herself up, she stretched and almost fell over as a wave of dizziness hit. She had been sat for too long and she made her way out of the room. McCoy was sat in his office reading with a bottle of bourbon and a small snifter next to him that was untouched. His features were lined and his eyes were lidded with tiredness. It caused her to ache seeing him so utterly torn. She made her way to his office and wrapped her arms around him, leaning into him and kissing the crook of his neck. He relaxed into her hold and closed his eyes.

"Come on. You need to get to bed." She whispered.

"Only if you come with me." He mumbled.

She smiled into his shoulder before leading him to his room. They didn't make love that night. He just held her tight almost as if he was afraid to let go.

Morning came all too quick for Liz at the sound of a buzzer knocking the cobwebs of sleep out of her brain. The pillow next to her was cold so McCoy had to have left for his shift. The door buzzed again and she wondered who would be at the doctor's door when it was clear that he would be on shift.

"Coming."

She quickly looked around and found a bathrobe of Leonard's before answering the door. Once it slid open she grinned. Three small little brunettes looked up at her with carefully contained enthusiasm with a very haggard looking Uhura behind them.

"Hello T'Meni, T'Rhea, T'Pol and Uhura. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Uhura gave a tired smile while the three latched onto Liz's robe.

"The girls wanted to spend their remaining time before we arrive at New Vulcan with you. They have repeated their request since 0200 this morning when they woke from their meditation."

"Long night?" She quipped.

The lieutenant threw her an exasperated glare but it softened at the sight of the girls clinging to the robe.

"You could say that. They were concerned that they wouldn't get to say goodbye. We'll be arriving in about three hours."

The dark skinned woman stumbled away leaving Liz with three new charges for the morning and no idea what to do.

"So...what do you want to do?"

No sooner were the words out of her mouth she immediately regretted not setting ground rules. The children were curious about every aspect of her childhood and the lifestyle of human children. They spent the next four hours alternating between Liz teaching them hide and seek, explaining imaginary play, watching vids of earth programs from her era and even allowing them to try and style her hair into an elegant Vulcan up-do which resulted in hairpins that may never be found in her bushy hair.

It was with a heavy heart that she had to take them to the transporter room to send them back to their families. She knelt down to their level with Spock standing behind her to tell them goodbye. She had intended for a hug and was surprised when all three placed their hands on her face and T'Rhea spoke up.

"We cannot express adequately how much we will miss your company but we can show you."

Liz nodded and was immediately flooded with the sensation of love, humor at their earlier activities, gratitude during their short captivity and heartbreak at their parting. It hit her hard and caused her to gasp and fall back, tears stinging her eyes. Their emotions ran deep, far deeper than hers and it mirrored her own sentiments.

She gave them a watery smile as they climbed up to the transporter pad and they each lifted a hand to her in a traditional Vulcan salute.

"Live long and prosper T'Sai Elizabeth. We will meet again."

Liz felt sure her heart was going to break as she returned the gesture and saw them disappear in a flash of swirling light. The moment they left she couldn't stand. Her legs gave out and Spock caught her, lowering her gently to the ground.

"Why does it hurt so much?" She sobbed.

"I believe that they may have formed a fledging sibling bond with you and what you are feeling is your pain as well as theirs at their parting. The pain will fade in time but you will always be linked with them."

"Dammit Jim! Stop moving! You're like a two year old on a sugar high."

McCoy tried running his scan for the third time and was finally able to get the results he needed. Renal function was at normal, no abnormal spikes and waves in brain activity, blood free of toxins. All in all everything was functioning well.

"So...can I go?"

McCoy rolled his eyes at the younger man.

"Yes Jim, you can go but you're off duty for the next twenty-four hours and light duty after that for another day. I expect to see you here tomorrow morning before shift and if anything feels off, you'd better get down here."

He waved a hypospray at him for emphasis and couldn't help laughing as his friend threw up his hands and slowly backed out. Sometimes he truly wondered what he saw in James T. Kirk.

The day dragged on for him and it was nearing beta shift before he saw Liz poke her head in. She looked happy and well rested and was back in her modified uniform with her unruly brown hair pulled back.

"Hey." She smiled and walked over to him while he was filling out his requisition forms for the next trip to Earth for resupplying.

He grunted in reply which only made her smile wider. Looking up, he noticed that her bright green eyes were filled with tears. He put down his forms and placed his hands on her arms. He never could stand to see a woman cry. Maybe it was the southern gentleman in him.

"I'm fine. I just had to send the children back to their families. We promised to stay in touch but for some reason it hit me harder than I thought it would. Spock said that the girls had formed a fledgling sibling bond and that their sadness is transferring to me."

He pulled her into a deep hug and she wrapped her arms tight around him. He squeezed tight letting her know that she would never be parted from him. He would fight tooth and nail before that would ever happen.

"Thank you."


	28. Chapter 28

**Hello! I love hearing from the kind people who read my stories. I beg you to tell me your thoughts! Please?**

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Captain Kirk looked over their supply requisition forms and gave a sigh. It had been three days since his impromptu vacation to Verex III and he was still struggling to focus. The thought of what could have happened to Uhura or Parker or even those three little girls weighed heavily on his mind. He spent the past two days drafting a proposal to Starfleet to up the security around New Vulcan and finally got word back that an outpost was in the process of being approved and soon to be placed on the planet pending approval of the Vulcan Council. Patrols have also been doubled but it still ate at the pit of his stomach that even though the Federation's flagship was there the unthinkable had happened and the cost would have been so high.

Pinching the bridge of his nose to stave off a forming headache he leaned back in his chair only to be interrupted by his door chime.

"Enter."

Once the door opened he pushed on a smile he didn't fully feel to see Spock walking in looking serene and calm. The dichotomy between them prevalent.

"Spock." He nodded in greeting.

The vulcan walked over and sat on the couch in the living area across from Jim who was at his desk. Spock's face was smooth and expressionless but his eyes were searching.

"Is everything alright?" Kirk asked.

"Yes. Although perhaps I should be making the same inquiry of you. Your behavior has been subdued as of late."

Kirk was surprised at that. He had, as far as he knew, been showing no outward signs that what had happened bothered him.

"I'm fine."

Spock's eyebrows raised in disbelief and he knew that at this point he wasn't fooling anyone. Least of all his first.

"Alright. I'm just frustrated and disappointed that nothing had been done to ensure the colony's safety in the first place. That it took something so drastic and potentially damaging before action was taken."

His last words were dripping with disgust as he tossed the PADD with supply requisitions onto his desk. Shaking his head, he ran a hand over his face. His headache was beginning anew and he was getting tired. Kirk turned back to Spock who at this point had a surprised expression on his face.

"What?"

"I am surprised this affects you so deeply, captain."

A small snort of laughter left Jim's mouth.

"I just...I can't bear the thought of losing any more...it's just low. Picking on the innocent."

Kirk gave a small shake of his head and his shoulders lowered from their previous tense position. Spock knew that there was more to it than what Kirk was saying but he wasn't saying anything more. Jim pulled himself out of his morbid thoughts and sighed.

"So, what's going on for you to be seeking me out?" He smiled.

Spock steepled his fingers and leaned on them to draw out the moment to give himself adequate time to phrase his statement.

"I am informing you that when we were on New Vulcan, Nyota and myself were joined in a betrothal bond. We were going to tell you at my father's residence but we were unable to. The healer that joined us believed it would be prudent to have a...short engagement and become fully bonded in approximately a month. Two at most."

Kirk's eyes widened and his grin lit up his entire face. He was ecstatic that Spock and Uhura were finally taking the plunge. They had been skirting around the idea of marriage for more than two years and it had come to the point that the bridge crew had started making wagers as to them either breaking it off or finally getting married. Jim was pleased it was the latter.

"Wow! Seriously? Congratulations!" He jumped up and gave the vulcan a pat on the back earning himself the equivalent of a death glare. Apparently Spock still had an issue with his tactile behavior.

"Yes. Uhura has suggested that I request the presence of a few acquaintances and therefore I am requesting that you attend the ceremony. I will also be requesting Dr. McCoy's attendance if only to be assured that the few humans that attend do not suffer heat stroke."

A small smirk on Spock's face showed him that that was not the only reason that he was requesting Bones' presence. He knew that they were developing, if not a friendship, then a mutual respect for one another. Spock's eyes had practically been shining with mirth after they had returned Mr. Mudd to his wife. Bones had specially written a report detailing the heroic deeds that Mudd had apparently done and therefore caused his wife to latch onto the surprised conman with an almost frightening vigor. Kirk seriously doubted that Mudd was going to be let out of sight for a long time to come. A normal man would think that Spock and McCoy were doing Harcourt Fenton Mudd a favor but what they were really doing was ensuring that his wife was never going to let him out of her clutches again...for his own good of course.

"I'd love to be there and I know Bones will want to be there. Thank you."

He pulled out a bottle of his best Saurian brandy along with two snifters. Gesturing with the bottle, he was pleasantly surprised when Spock nodded in acceptance.

"Looks like I'm rubbing off on you." He laughed and handed the Commander his glass.

"I am only imbibing this once. To respect human cultural traditions of celebration."

Spock's face was serious which only made Jim laugh harder.

"You do know that you're gonna have to do a lot more human cultural traditions once you and Uhura get married. When did you get her engagement ring?"

He leaned back and sipped his drink, almost snorting his drink at Spock's surprised expression.

"It is not vulcan tradition to use engagement rings. We are bonded in mind and spirit, more than an engagement but less than a marriage."

Jim rolled his eyes.

"Spock, this is one human cultural tradition you have to uphold. Look, we've been ordered back to Earth and you can pick one up when we get there. Just make it special."

Spock put down his glass after finishing his drink and sat back thinking. Kirk could see the wheels turning and he knew that his friend was thinking hard about what he had said.

"I appreciate your insight. Would you provide assistance in selecting the ring?"

"Of course. Bones'll be able to help, too. Don't look at me like that! I think he's getting serious with Liz and might appreciate looking at these sort of things. He's been spending a lot of time with her lately. I have hardly seen him in the past couple of weeks."

He felt a small amount of jealousy but was happy that his two best friends were happy. McCoy hadn't said he was head over heels with Parker but he knew the signs. The past two days he rarely saw the doctor farther away from her than two feet. He was impressed with her patience. If that was him he'd have run for the hills.

"He does seem rather enamored with Miss Parker."

Liz was sat at her desk. She was updating her messages in case of her death. Since her latest bout she wanted to be sure that if the unthinkable happened that she'd be able to say goodbye. She'd recorded them earlier when she'd had a few hours to herself and was typing up the instructions for delivery this morning. Lately Leonard had been with her almost constantly and she didn't want to depress him with her thoughts.

She looked over to her bed and watched him sleep for a moment before she sealed the records. She gave a sigh and almost jumped out of her skin when she felt arms wrap around her and warm breath on the back of her neck.

"Mornin' sweetheart."

Leonard began nuzzling her neck and kissing that spot behind her ear that always gave her the shivers.

"Good morning."

She leaned back and saw his smiling face looking down at her, his hair adorably sticking up on the side and his eyes bright even though he'd clearly just woken up. He leaned down to give her a chaste kiss before moving over to her replicator and getting them both a coffee. He walked back and handed her hers still clad only in his boxers. She took a moment to appreciate his...well, before accepting the coffee and smiling.

"We're arriving back at Earth to receive supplies tomorrow."

He leaned on her desk close to her smiling and she nodded and sipped her coffee, grimacing. He always forgot to put extra sugar in hers. It definitely woke her up more.

"You haven't seen earth in over two hundred years. Are you excited?"

His enthusiasm was cute but the slight on her actual age wasn't.

"I'm not scheduled to head down. I'm gonna be up here coordinating supplies. You're just going to have to get me a t-shirt." She quipped.

"Actually, Starfleet Medical was wanting to meet you. They were wanting to see how you were coping and also to check on your recovery status from when Khan..."

He trailed off and his eyes turned distant. Liz put down her coffee and wrapped her arms around him. This was the reason she was keeping her inner battles to herself. It was clearly still haunting him.

"I guess I'm just lucky to have had a great doctor. I'm fine although I'd rather skip the visit to Starfleet Medical. Any chance you could pull that off?"

He shook his head and gave her a sad smile.

"No. It's standard procedure with new crew members and I think they're a little curious with your status as an augment. Your recovery was nothing short of miraculous and it might help other people with traumatic brain injuries. Even in this day and age the brain is an unknown organ."

Liz pulled back frowning. She didn't expect the possibility of being seen as a science project nor did she appreciate being used as one.

"I don't really like the idea of this." She huffed.

McCoy put his hands up.

"I know but I trust the doctor who's going to be checking you over. He'll respect your boundaries and keep all tests to a minimum. He's a good man. He was my instructor back at the academy, Dr. Lawler."

Her irritation was still there but it abated a little with Leonard's words. If he trusted him then it was reasonable for her to trust him as well.

"Since you have to come down anyway I was wondering if you wouldn't mind coming down with Jim, Spock and me and helping us out."

He looked a little nervous and his face began to turn red.

"With what?" She asked suspiciously.

"Spock and Uhura became engaged and Spock needs help picking out an engagement ring. I figure a woman's opinion might help in addition to ours."

Liz's amusement began to grow as his speech began to become hurried at the end. His face growing redder as he was talking.

"Sure just as long as I'm back on board by the end of the day. I promised Christine I'd help her with the supplies so that she can visit family for the remaining three days that we're docked. It's only fair considering her time off has been rather interrupted."

He nodded in agreement but she could see a mischievous sparkle in his eyes that made her a little uneasy. She decided to push it aside for now as they got ready for the day.

The next day came too soon for her and she felt anxious as she stood next to Leonard, the captain and Mr. Spock waiting for the ok to beam down to Starfleet headquarters. They would be meeting up after her check-up at Starfleet medical to shop for Uhura's ring while she was visiting family for the day. She wasn't as close to the Lieutenant as she was with the medical staff but she had a good idea of the woman's fashion sense. She adjusted her medkit and smiled at Leonard as he double checked his. He was the ultimate in paranoid and for that she loved him.

"Alrigh' Captain. We're getting the ok for beam down. Energizing."

Liz tensed in anticipation as Lt. Cmdr. Scott started the sequence only to hear the wall panel start squealing to stop transport.

_"Bridge to Transporter Room Two. Stop transport now! We have an unexpected gravimetric disturbance, an energy ribbon heading straight for us!"_

The engineer's eyes widened in horror. The room was dissolving around her, the sequence had started and there was no stopping it. If she could have screamed she would have. They say you only feel a slight tingling while your atoms are being taken apart and reassembled but this time it plain hurt. It felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside out.

She felt solid ground under her feet and immediately fell to her knees gasping and heard similar noises next to her.

"What the _hell_?" She gasped.

She lifted her head and almost passed out. It couldn't be.

"Wow! How did you do that? Are you street performers?"

A small boy about twelve was stood looking at them, his mouth hanging open as he looked at them. Liz couldn't answer because her eyes were looking at where they were. She turned and saw McCoy and Kirk supporting Spock. His eyes closed in a clear sign of agony. She saw cars driving by in the evening light, the sign advertising the Seattle curiosity shop, and the Alaskan way viaduct. They were on pier 54 in downtown Seattle not in San Francisco. For a moment she entertained the notion that it was just location that had been the problem but she turned to the cruise schedule posted further down the pier and saw the date, November 1st 2012.

"Oh my god!" She whispered.

"Liz, dammit! I need my tricorder." McCoy almost screamed at her.

She almost cried in relief that the boy had left after receiving no reply from her. The street was almost deserted because it was late evening so nobody had seen their arrival. It was the day after her disappearance.

"Captain, Dr. McCoy, we have to get out of here." She hissed.

Their presence was beginning to garner attention and finally Kirk looked up.

"What?" His blue eyes widened as he took in his surroundings.

McCoy finally looked up after realizing that no-one was listening to him, his arms still supporting Spock who was slowly beginning to stand but his face was still screwed up in pain.

"We have to move, _now_!" Liz hissed.

She led the way and as they passed the shop she carefully grabbed a black knit skull cap on the display case outside. She waited a block before placing it on the commander's head.

"Captain, what happened? Why are we here?" She whispered.

Her mind was whirling but she was focusing on moving. People they passed were giving them strange looks.

"I don't know. I remember the bridge calling the transporter room saying something and then we ended up here. Where are we?"

His voice was straining with the effort of half carrying the vulcan. Spock looked ready to pass out. All the color had drained out of his face and he seemed to have lost the ability for independent movement.

"I think the more accurate question is when are we? I can tell we're in Seattle and the date is November 1st, 2012. Exactly a day after I left."

The doctor's face was red with the effort of hauling the Commander but his jaw dropped.

"You mean to say that our atoms not only got scrambled across space but time as well!?"

His voice had taken on an almost hysterical tone. Liz's thoughts were on rapid fire as she thought. They couldn't continue their aimless wandering. They had to find somewhere to go.

"I think it's time I went home."


	29. Chapter 29

**Hi! I hope this chapter is alright. I had to get their plotting out of the way before they can start on experiencing the full 21st century. Does anyone have any special requests? Ideas? Please review so I can know what anyone may want added, changed or done to the characters. I love reviews! They make me so happy!**

**Thank you!**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Twenty-Nine

McCoy struggled with the weight of half carrying/half dragging the semi-conscious Vulcan on one side while Jim was huffing with the other side. Liz had been able to get money from a passer-by to get a cab and they stood to one side as she rang the buzzer to a moderately sized black and red brick apartment building. He looked around and could see multiple buildings and skyscrapers on one side while the other had the waters of the puget sound. The sun was setting and the temperature was beginning to get colder and McCoy's concern for Spock tripled. They needed somewhere warm and a place where he could be examined.

He watched as Liz continued to depress the buzzer until the door was finally opened by a thin dark skinned woman. He could hear Liz's muffled speech, reminiscent of when he first met her, explaining how she had her purse stolen and so her keys and plane ticket were gone. The woman gestured to them and she mentioned that they were friends. That the ill man was recovering from a party. That they would be staying for a while. He was glad when they were ushered forward.

The landlord, Ruth, led them into the elevator to the third floor to apartment 303 which was unlocked and she left, telling them a locksmith would be by tomorrow. Liz signed her thanks and led them in. The apartment was a relatively large one bedroom. Kitchen and office alcove on the far left, dining room and then living room all in one large open floor plan with windows all along the wall showing the rapidly darkening city. The bedroom was to the right which Liz immediately went into nurse mode once the door shut and gave them their privacy. Together the three lifted Spock onto the large bed in the room.

"What the hell is going on?" McCoy ground out.

He grabbed the medical tricorder and looked over the results, frowning as he read them off while Liz turned on the heater and positioned the now still first officer. It seemed that Spock had finally succumbed to whatever was happening to him.

"His heart rate is 80 bpm. A third of what is should be. His blood pressure is through the floor. His neural activity has been accelerated in some areas and deadened in others. Dammit! What the hell is going on?"

"It's like he's in some sort of shock. Do you think the transporter accident did this?" Liz asked.

She started preparing a hypospray and handed it to McCoy.

"Dopamine?" She suggested.

He had started to inject Spock when the vulcan's hand shot out and grabbed him. A vise-like grip effectively froze him. The fact that Spock moved at all shocked him. McCoy's eyes widened as he looked down at him. His voice was so quiet that he had to lean down to hear him. He could see Liz's anxious eyes watching as she shifted her stance, quietly asking what to do. He put up a hand to let her know to wait while he listened.

"Must heal...bond damaged...do not interfere."

Spock's voice was hoarse with pain and in that moment he understood. Spock's eyes fluttered shut and the hand dropped away allowing the doctor to stand. He felt frustration and worry. He'd only seen this happen once and read about it. M'Benga was the expert, not him.

"Well?" Liz questioned.

"It looks like Spock's placing himself in a healing trance. He said a bond was damaged. The only one I know of is the one to the lieutenant."

Liz's eyes narrowed in confusion as she looked at McCoy.

"I only saw passing references to healing trances and vulcans. Have you ever seen one and what do we do to help?" She asked.

McCoy swapped the cartridge in the hypospray to a glucose and vitamin supplement and quickly injected the still form on the bed.

"I only saw one and that was after the Narada incident. Dr. M'Benga explained that the only thing we can really do is let them heal themselves and keep him hydrated and comfortable. I don't have the equipment here for that. He'll need help when he needs to come out but other than that..."

His voice trailed off as he shook his head. If it was this bad for Spock who had absolute control he wondered what was happening to Uhura. He placed a small neuro-sensor strip on Spock's forehead and set it to alert his tricorder of any changes. Together they covered him and moved to the living room area where Kirk was pacing. McCoy hated not being able to help. It was one of his reasons for choosing a medical career. He had an instinctual need to take care of people and the readings from Spock that he took made him feel like his chest was being squeezed. His brainwave activity was spiking and waving so much that McCoy was scared that they weren't going to get Spock back the way he should be. It was obvious that he was in pain but, again, it was something that he couldn't help him with. Jim moved closer to the pair.

"What happened? Is he going to be alright?"

Liz moved away from his side and sat on the long, overstuffed red couch in the living room. Her face was pale and drawn as the shock was beginning to set in and he had to force himself to look away from her and to meet his friend's eyes.

"He's entered a healing trance because his bond with Uhura has been damaged by us appearing..." He waved his hands in a vague direction. "...here. He should be alright but I'm not an expert on Vulcan physiology and neurology. If he remains the way he is he'll need intranet-venous fluids by mid morning tomorrow. It's taking all his energy to heal the damage to his mind by the bond to Uhura snapping."

Kirk nodded and ran his hand through his hair in frustration before joining Liz on the couch. McCoy moved to sit in the large matching chair and furrowed his brows.

"What the hell happened?"

Kirk shook his head.

"I remember hearing that an electromagnetic wave was approaching and that Scotty was trying to stop the transport sequence but it was too late."

Liz piped in.

"Wasn't I found in some kind of electrical ribbon?"

Kirk frowned, clearly trying to remember. McCoy hadn't been there when Spock had found her but he'd seen her directly after.

"Do you think it was trying to get you home? Like it knew you were in that transporter stream?"

Liz shrugged in response. The captain's question's made McCoy uneasy. If Liz had been beaming down alone he would have lost her. His thoughts turned to Spock and Uhura. Because of that energy ribbon, Spock had been taken away from Uhura. They had all been taken away from their homes. Liz, twice.

"I don't know. Maybe?"

Kirk started to pace again, his body becoming tense as he started thinking.

"We've got to find a way to get home and let the Enterprise know where we are but we can't risk interfering with the timeline. Any ideas Liz? After all, this is your timeline?"

She looked up in surprise.

"I honestly have no idea. The technology in this time period is severely limiting. We don't even have subspace communications abilities so it's not like we can send a message out and from what I read about the Third World War, the chaos from that will be so bad that I don't think there'd be a place to leave a message that'd be undisturbed until the right moment thereby not creating a paradox."

Kirk's eye's were distant as he looked out the windows at the city.

"What we need is not only a message in a bottle but someone to deliver that bottle." McCoy mumbled.

Jim's head snapped around so fast he swore he heard it pop. His bright blue eyes alight with an idea and a plan. McCoy scowled in anticipation of what Jim had planned.

"Liz, wasn't earth trying to contact alien life in this period?"

"Yeah. Not successfully though. We sent out satellites and searched using probes like the voyager probe and radar and then there's SETI..." At the look of utter confusion from the two men she clarified.

"It stands for Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence. They use different methods to search but they mainly monitor frequencies using radio telescopes in the hopes of receiving an alien transmission."

Kirk placed his hand on his chin as he looked at Liz. An intense expression on his face that made her squirm.

"What? I'm a dork? And I have the SETI program on my computer. It downloads and analyzes the data to help the program once a week."

Kirk moved closer to Liz.

"Show me."

She walked to to the small desk in the office area and pulled out a slim case that flipped open. Turning it on she moved back over to the couch and McCoy couldn't help his curiosity so it ended up with Liz sandwiched between the two men as she pulled up the programs and handed the computer device to Jim.

"I think this might work." Jim mumbled as he started typing on the board.

"What might work?" Leonard grumbled at him.

"I've got an idea but it'll take a while to work. I think we can send a distress call out using the SETI program."

"And just who would we be contacting?" McCoy asked with thinly veiled suspicion.

The young captain was systematically pulling up programs on the computer at lightning speed and McCoy felt Liz becoming tense as the screen began flickering with subroutines and programs.

"I remember from the meld with old Spock that time travel was possible in multiple different ways. We'll need to call on his experience to help us get home and the only way to contact him is through the Vulcans. They would understand the ramifications of this situation and pass the message on to Starfleet when it forms and then eventually to our people. I'm sure between Chekov, Scotty and Surok, we'll be home in no time or at least they'll know where we went."

McCoy was skeptical and he could see that Liz wasn't buying it either.

"So, you're saying we just send out a hello, hope they believe us and then hope that our message to the future gets passed on?"

Kirk rolled his eyes at McCoy.

"I know that it's a lot of speculation but it's the best idea I've got. My vulcan's a little rusty but I can compose a decent enough message for it to be understood and they'll listen if I code it right. I'll need a more sophisticated computer though to be able to hack into the SETI system and have the message repeatedly sent out. We'll tell them to return contact using the communicator's frequencies."

Both Liz and McCoy nodded at the plan. McCoy could see a lot of potential problems but he had faith that they would beat the odds.

Liz pulled the laptop out of Kirk's hands once he'd finished and made sure he didn't break it. She didn't know much about computers but it was the only one she had and it was registered to her. If he hacked a program, especially a government program, they'd be caught so fast and she didn't even want to think about what would happen to Spock.

"We can go shopping tomorrow. I have spare debit cards to my bank accounts and we can pick up some essentials. I also have my spare keys to my car so we can get around and I keep a spare set of house keys."

She headed over to her desk and pulled them out, checking them and nodding before pulling up the sites to report her passport and driver's license missing. During their errands she can get a replacement license. Leonard came up behind her, almost touching her as he watched over her shoulder.

"Spock's going to need some medical supplies to make sure he stays hydrated during his healing trance. Can you get them?"

Liz turned to him, seeing the stress etched in his face.

"Yeah. I can get some saline and IV lines from work but I can't get meds or more complicated equipment though. I don't have clearance to do that. I'd need a prescription from a doctor. I need to contact my supervisor to be able to be there. As far as they know I was on a flight to the Bahamas."

She pulled up her cell phone information and ordered a replacement for the one lost and added three more lines including voice service to be delivered the day after tomorrow. Thank god her mother had provided well for her because her nursing wages would never support what they were going to do. She emailed her supervisor and planned to meet her in the morning to try and cancel her two weeks off to get some shifts. They'd need money and she had no idea how long they would be there.

"Captain?" She asked.

"Yes?"

He came up on her other side.

"Here's the local computer stores and what they have."

She pulled up the information and pointed out everything to him as he watched.

"We can go tomorrow after I go to my job to see my supervisor. I need to work to support this financially and I need an excuse to be able to get what we need for the Commander. We'll need to get you guys some clothes and groceries, too."

She pulled out her credit cards and moved out to let the captain sit in her chair. His eyes focused on the computer, she left him to it.

"Any change on Mr. Spock?" She asked.

Leonard shook his head slowly. Questions were clearly buzzing in his head.

"What?" She gave him a small smile as she walked into the kitchen to take stock of her supplies.

"Why were you talking to Ruth that way?"

She paused her search of the refrigerator and looked up at him.

"Do you remember when I first came aboard?"

"Yes."

"I was deaf. I can't magically hear and talk normal after she saw me twenty-four hours ago in her timeline. I can pull it off in a week saying I was in a medical study using a new drug but until then..."

She opened the freezer and scowled. She had done a little too well in making sure there weren't any perishables in her kitchen for her vacation.

"All I've got is a frozen lasagna until I get groceries. I can put on some coffee. Thankfully, my coffee cream is still there."

Leonard watched as she worked the stove and peeled off the plastic to place a frozen brick looking thing in the oven. Her movements were hesitant as she then moved over to the coffee maker and set a batch brewing. She gave him a hesitant smile before moving to the bedroom with Leonard following her.

"I have a bit of men's clothing in my closet from my ex. I didn't get a chance to return them and I think they'll fit you guys ok. I also have a couple of sets of scrubs that you could use as pajamas."

She rifled through her closet after sparing a glance at Spock to check him and pulled out two pairs of scrubs and jeans and polo shirts. She handed a set over before pulling out a set of sleep pants and a shirt for herself. Leonard couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that.

"So...who was this ex of yours?" His voice was calm but a little cold.

"He was an orthopedic surgeon at the main UW hospital. He turned out to be a jerk. He was all about control. Wanted me to marry him and be barefoot and pregnant for the rest of my life. Be a surgeon's wife and give him a bunch of sons to carry on the family name."

She had walked back into the living and handed a set to the captain who wrinkled his nose at the clothes before putting them aside and going back to his research.

"That's why I was on that flight. I was getting away from him for a bit to think over his proposal...and his damn prenuptial agreement. Creep."

She shook her head at the memory. How John had proposed and the moment she'd said yes he'd handed her a prenup. He'd spent the next few weeks telling her she should move in with him, leave her job to focus on the wedding, that it'd be too stressful for her to work when they started having children. She shivered at the thought. It had taken her so long to get where she was. She could have gone further and become a nurse practitioner. Her mother had certainly left her enough money to do whatever she wanted with her life and then some.

McCoy smiled to himself as Liz went to the bathroom and changed. A warm feeling in his chest at the displeasure of her memories of her former fiancé. He checked on Spock before moving to the small table near the kitchen and he sat down thinking.

Liz came out of the restroom with her uniform folded and placed it on the couch. She looked at it sadly before grabbing a cup of coffee for herself and the boys. Once she sat down she turned to McCoy and Kirk. Thankfully, they were at an angle where she could see the both.

"The couch is a pull-out so that can sleep two. We're all gonna have to share. I can give you guys cash frequently but you might need some sort of identification if you want to work or get added to my bank account for access."

She sipped her coffee in thought.

"I'm on it. If I can get into Spock's kobayashi maru simulation, I think I can get us some id's. I'll be able to do it once I get some supplies tomorrow."

Kirk grinned smugly and both Liz and McCoy shook their heads in exasperation.

After a quick dinner and some arguments over sleeping arrangements, Liz settled in next to Kirk on the sofa-sleeper. Her day's plans going through her head. First the DMV, hospital and then return with supplies for Spock and to pick up the Captain to go shopping for computer supplies, clothes and groceries. It was going to be a long day.

Liz had left early in the morning and returned around lunch-time with a satchel full of basic medical supplies including IV bags of saline and tubing with the cannulas and sterile syringes filled with saline that could be used to flush the tubing.

"That's barbaric!" Leonard hissed as he watched her apply the tourniquet and pull out the needle to insert into Spock's hand. Liz just rolled her eyes and quickly set up the line and hung the bag.

"At least he doesn't need stitches." She hissed.

At the doctor's shocked face she laughed and waved before grabbing her bag to get ready for Kirk's outing but before she left again she reached in and pulled out two large books and handed them to Leonard.

"Brought you something. There's a book on current pharmacology and standard emergency room procedures. This way you'll have an idea of what to do with what we have here. And you can see just how barbaric we are. It could be worse...we could have beads and rattles."

Leonard sputtered as he flipped through the pages. Treatment of open wounds and burns was particularly horrific. He'd never realized just how fortunate he was to be a doctor in the 23rd century.

"Are you ready, Captain?" She asked.

She pulled her hair back and put it in a loose ponytail, readying herself for the big shopping trip. She'd been able to collect what she hoped was enough cash after she'd finally gotten a replacement ID. She was due to start a shift tomorrow so she needed to get everything put together today.

"Yeah. I've got a list set up so we should be able to be quick."

Kirk shuffled nervously in his borrowed clothes. He was still wearing his regulation black shirt after blatantly refusing to wear the polo shirt. Liz didn't blame him. It was getting colder and so long sleeves would be better.

"Are you going to be alright, Bones?" Kirk slapped a hand on McCoy's shoulder and though his tone was light, his eyes were worried.

"Yeah. We've still got our comms and Liz assured us that most people will think they're...cell phones."

He stumbled over the unfamiliar word but felt a little more reassured now that they were getting started with a plan. Liz smiled and gave him a quick hug before hefting her bag over her shoulder.

"We'll be back by dinner. Ruth should be by sometime this afternoon with a locksmith to change the locks so be on the lookout and ask for an extra set."

She leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to McCoy's lips before leaving.

She led Kirk out of the apartment and outside. Thankfully, the sun was shining so it was warmer than usual and she led him across the street to her 98 VW Golf. She was glad she'd gotten a four door now that she had more people with her. It was a cute little red hatchback that was perfect for her.

As they started for the car, Kirk held out his hand causing Liz to frown at him.

"What?"

He smiled, a full set of teeth showing as he continued to hold out his hand.

"I can drive us. It'd be good practice."

"No. Just no." She deadpanned and made her way to the driver's side.

"You don't have a license and you don't know where we're going. We're going to the Southcenter Mall to pick up clothes and computer stuff and then we're going to the grocery store."

She pulled on her sunglasses as she started the car. She could feel Kirk pouting in the passenger seat next to her and she rolled her eyes.

"It'd be fun." He tried.

Liz's jaw dropped as she turned to him.

"No wonder Leonard calls you kid sometimes. When you have a license. I don't particularly want my car to be impounded by the police for having an unlicensed driver using it. And I heard about the corvette."

"There was extenuating circumstances with that and bing called kid is better than being called an idiot." He laughed.

"He calls you that too." She responded.


	30. Chapter 30

**AN: I hope this chapter is alright. The next one will have some action and the reaction of the Enterprise crew to their missing comrades. It will also include some excitement in the ER. Anyone have a secret wish for their 21st century expedition? I'm all ears! Please review to let me know. It helps a lot!**

**Thanks,**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Thirty

Finally, they got back to Liz's apartment. She as never been so glad to see the black and red brick building as Kirk and her pulled into the parking lot across the street. Her little golf was positively straining under the load. The groceries, computer parts, books and clothes took up almost every spare bit of room. She looked back and groaned.

After finally getting everything upstairs and put away, Liz went to check on Spock with Leonard. Kirk had taken over her dining room table, electronics and books spread everywhere. She supposed there was some sort of order but she couldn't see it.

Spock was laid out on the bed, still as death and barely breathing. The IV bag had been removed but the peripheral line was closed and covered with a net stocking to prevent it being jostled.

"How's he doing?" She asked quietly.

McCoy pulled out his tricorder and ran the wand attachment over his very still patient. Liz waited with baited breath as he worked.

"There's a marked increase in his neural activity levels, respiration and blood pressure is rising. His heart rate has increased since my last reading but everything is still through the floor. If he keeps it up at this rate he should start coming out of this by tomorrow."

Liz breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't close to Spock but she felt responsible for this. She felt more comfortable on her turf and so she decided that she'd do anything to take care of them and make sure that Spock, Leonard and Jim got home.

"I just hope Uhura wasn't as affected as Spock. Do you think she's ok?"

McCoy paused in thought.

"I hope she is ok, too. The only documented case of human/Vulcan bonds was Spock's parents and we don't have a case of where they were separated. My hopes are that because she was human and psi-null that it didn't affect her as severely."

She nodded her understanding and placed a hand on Spock's in a fleeting gesture of comfort before heading to the living room, McCoy following her.

Kirk had the computer tower for the desktop unit taken apart and was focusing on adding parts here and there at a dizzying pace. A computer text book was propped up next to him and he had an almost manic gleam in his eyes as he worked. It was at this moment that Liz was reminded of when they were in the Orion ship and the young captain was manipulating the neural inhibitors on their necks.

"How're you doing there, Jim?"

The Doctor came up behind him with his eyebrows raised at the mess. Kirk just shrugged and continued working.

"Good Bones. Once I get this set up I'll need to create the programs necessary to..." He stopped talking abruptly as he manipulated a panel.

Liz shrugged as he trailed off. She didn't want to bother him any more than needed so she went to the kitchen to start dinner and some coffee. She had a feeling it'd be needed.

"Classic. Baked chicken, Alfredo pasta and steamed broccoli."

She plated up the boys' dishes and handed them out, along with drinks before moving herself to the living room and settling herself on the couch. Leonard eyed her and she patted the seat next to her.

"Let's leave the captain to his work. He'll be busy with that a while. Why don't we see what's going on in the world today?"

Liz pulled out the remote as the doctor sat down next to her with his plate carefully perched on his lap. She flipped it on to CNN and for the first time turned on the volume and the subtitles off. The flat screen showed scenes of devastation from Hurricane Sandy as a starting point.

"A house floating in Barnegate Bay in Matoloking was propelled a mile from it's foundation by superstorm Sandy. Across the waterway which separates mainland New Jersey from two washed out barrier islands, a yacht sits atop a motorboat in a pile of debris left by a tidal surge."

The story continued showing the shelters of those being evacuated due to the devastation and asking for money for the Red Cross. The story then turned to election news leading to a lull where Liz felt more comfortable turning the channel.

"Do you mind if I flip around." Liz questioned.

McCoy just shrugged. He seemed focused on the television. Liz flipped through the channels and settled on The Walking Dead.

"Scary shows ok?" She asked.

She was nervous as he was so quiet. Normally they had work to talk about or some new shipboard gossip going on. It was so quiet.

"Sure. Let's see what's considered...my god, woman! That's not even possible!"

McCoy was horrified and spent the next 45 minutes discussing all the ways the show was inaccurate and medically impossible and how anyone could even think up the script. The captain, at this point had decided to take a break to watch his tirade and was laughing alongside Liz at his declarations.

"We get it Bones. We get it."

Liz handed McCoy the remote and went to the kitchen to start cleaning up, tears still in her eyes from listening to McCoy's tirade over the possibility of zombies and humans being able to survive. She didn't even notice the captain behind her.

"Liz?"

She jumped, almost dropping the dishes in her hands and turned to face him. Looking closer, she could see the lines of worry on his face and it made him look older than his years.

"Yes, Captain?" She hesitated.

He waved a hand to show her it was a more informal conversation than what she was thinking.

"I just want to say thank you for everything you're doing for us. I know you're doing your best to help and we appreciate it."

He laid a hand on her shoulder. Really, Kirk was one of the most tactile people she'd ever met but it helped her feel more grounded in this sea of uncertainty that they were in.

"I'm just doing my job. You guys...the whole Enterprise crew, really, took me in and helped me when I needed it. I just wish there was more I could do."

She hung her head and looked towards Spock's room. Kirk gave her shoulder a squeeze and bent down to look directly into her eyes. His bright blue eyes shining in sincerity.

"You're doing everything possible. You're working to support us in our efforts to get home, you're feeding and housing us and you're keeping Bones sane by being there distracting him. I think that he's finding it harder than us being here because he doesn't have jobs to do. He can't really help support us or help me with the computer systems."

Liz nodded her understanding.

"I know. But we'll be home before we know it."

She smiled and Kirk returned it full of his usual confidence before he left to continue his work on the computer. Liz quickly set the dishwasher going before entering the living room again to see Leonard relaxing with some action show that she didn't recognize.

"Hey."

She lounged on the couch next to him and he lifted his arm in a silent gesture to get her to come closer. She edged over and rested her head on his chest with his arm wrapped around her. She felt a kiss on the top of her head and closed her eyes in comfort.

"Are you doing ok?" She asked quietly.

He grunted an affirmative before moving the hand around her to start rubbing up and down her arm.

"Liz, are you really going back to work tomorrow?"

His voice was quiet. Not at all like his usual self.

"Yeah. Someone's gotta bring home the bacon. I don't know how long we'll be here so it'd be best to have a continuous income. I'll be home by six, maybe seven and I'll leave the car. Harborview, the ER where I work is just up Yesler Avenue so I'll only be about a mile or two away."

"Ok."

She turned to look up at him and moved to press against him, letting him know not to worry. She put her hands on his face and felt Leonard lean into her touch, her face moving closer.

"It's not that bad. You're needed here and besides, you've always got Jim for company."

He huffed a small laugh and moved closer. He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her to where Liz ended up practically straddling him, a devious smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, but I don't do this with Jim." He breathed and moved his lips to hers. A tingle spread through her. His lips were warm and comforting. She ran her hands through his hair and tilted her head, deepening the kiss before slowly pulling away.

"I can't. Jim could come in any minute. Plus I have to get to bed. Work."

The excuse felt weak. She could feel his need and her heart was pounding in anticipation but it wasn't possible. He dropped his head on her shoulder and breathed a deep sigh before moving his hands away to let her up.

"I know. Pullout tonight?" He asked.

"No. It's your and Jim's turn plus my alarms are in the bedroom."

The next morning a light frost was covering the ground and Liz watched people driving by from her vantage point at the kitchen window. The sun wasn't even up. Fall was always so dark up in Seattle. She sipped her coffee and put some in her travel mug before walking out to the living room and stopped dead.

She was glad the shock of the sight stopped her from laughing because she had to run and grab her camera. Hurrying back she quickly clicked a picture and saved it before running to her printer. Giggling slightly she looked at the new photo. On it was Leonard asleep on his side of the bed with the Captain snuggled up behind him, arms wrapped tightly around the doctor and they were holding hands...spooning. She quickly scrawled a note and taped the picture next to the coffee maker before running out to catch her bus.

Groaning, Captain Kirk rolled out of the very uncomfortable pullout. The sun was fully shining by now. He looked over to the clock on the wall and saw it was 9 in the morning. He quickly rubbed his face and moved to the kitchen and was about to put on a pot of coffee when he saw a piece of paper attached to the coffee maker.

"Huh. That's weird."

He pulled it off and opened it to see a picture of him and Bones...in a very compromising position. He felt his cheeks heat as he shook his head and looked underneath to see writing.

_"I always knew you were a cuddler! Good morning! See you boys at around 6."_

He laughed and put the picture down so that McCoy could laugh bout it when he got up before he started working. His morning a little brighter from Liz's little joke.

Once the coffee finished brewing, he took a cup to the living room for his friend.

"Bones...hey Bones."

A muffled protest could be heard before the doctor lifted himself up.

"God damnit. It's like being back on the academy beds. I'm too old for this."

Kirk laughed and handed McCoy a cup. He took it and sipped before pulling himself all the way up and grabbing his ever present tricorder and moving to Spock's room. He was used to McCoy's abrupt nature especially when there was a patient concerned. Coffee in hand he went back to his pile of circuits.

It was late afternoon before Kirk first heard it. The sound of grunting and flesh hitting flesh. Adrenaline started pumping. Maybe Spock wasn't how he should be and was hurting Bones. He dropped the wires he was holding and ran through the living room to the bedroom. It was still dark. His eyes finally adjusted to see McCoy leaning over Spock, his arm raised and delivering another blow to the Vulcan in the bed.

"Holy Shit! Bones! What are you doing?"

He surged forward to try to restrain the doctor but was shoved off while another sharp slap echoed across the room. Kirk shoved himself back into a standing position and was ready to tackle the doctor if needed but as McCoy went for another blow his arm was grabbed by Spock.

"I think that will be quite enough, doctor. I thank you for your assistance."

McCoy pulled his arm out of the vulcan's grip and starting rolling his shoulders.

"God damn vulcan. I about threw my back out trying to get you out of that."

His words were harsh but Kirk could see there was no ill will behind them. A small smile tugged at his lips as he reached for the medical tricorder.

"I assure you doctor, I am medically stable." Protested Spock.

"Yeah? Well, when you get your medical degree then you can pronounce yourself fit." He grumbled.

Kirk stumbled and looked at McCoy in shock.

"What the hell?" He gasped.

The doctor looked at him and picked up his kit before turning to address Kirk.

"When a vulcan goes into a healing trance they are in so deep that they need a shock to their system to bring them back otherwise they could slip into a coma. A slap is a good and safe way to bring them back."

McCoy ran as many tests as he could with the limited equipment that he had. Kirk was thankful that Spock didn't argue. Perhaps it was due to his human mother's influence. McCoy was checking him over and hovering much like a mother hen.

"I believe that I require sustenance at this time."

Spock turned to the doctor, frowning slightly.

"How long?"

McCoy heaved a sigh and put away his tools.

"About forty-two hours. Nearly two days."

Spock's eyes widened in surprise but he didn't say much else. He, instead, chose to leave. His abrupt departure caused Kirk to do a double take. He moved closer to Bones who looked just as puzzled.

"What's his problem?" Kirk mumbled.

McCoy shrugged and together they left to the living room where Spock was looking at everything. He was focusing on a small set of picture frames of Liz with what Jim'd assume was her mother and a group of her friends when he moved into the kitchen and dining room area, past the office nook. His eyes were fastened on the medley of computer parts littering the table. His almost finished computer tower was off to one side, the cover not on it because he was still working on it. Spock's eyebrows rose as he moved closer to inspect Kirk's work.

"Fascinating."

Kirk leaned against the wall and waited patiently for Spock to talk to him.

"I take it you know what's happening." He asked.

"During a healing trance, a vulcan is aware of all things but is so far into his or her mind using all their resources to heal damage that they would be unable to respond."

Kirk furrowed his face in confusion but it quickly smoothed out in wonder.

"Huh. Really?"

Spock looked up from where he was inspecting the tower.

"Yes. Your voice does carry as you were speaking and I know that I can assist however, I am skeptical of the vulcans actually responding. In this time period, they are not like how you would know them now. They are...suspicious and they do not believe in time travel as was evidenced during Sub-Commander T'Pol's time on the first Enterprise."

The Captain moved over to Spock and gestured with his hands at him.

"There's no way that they can ignore the evidence in front of them. How else will they be able to explain what we know and how you came to be here."

Spock raised an eyebrow and his eyes shuttered. Whatever he was feeling at Kirk's statement was being forcefully hidden.

"Under no circumstances can we tell them of the future events surrounding Nero."

Kirk's heart clenched. He had thought about it in passing but the temporal prime directive forbid it. He was hoping to slip in a hint but the expression on Spock's face was clear. No interference. It pained him to think that there was a chance at saving so many lives, including Spock's mother, but they couldn't.

"I know." He mumbled.

Kirk sighed looking down. He picked up the computer textbook for something to do with his hands when he felt Spock's hand on his shoulder.

"Jim...I understand what and why you would wish to add these things to a topic of discussion with our eventual meeting with them but we cannot. I thank you for your compassion."

It felt like a lead weight was sitting in his stomach. As much as he hated to admit it, Spock was right and their main focus should be getting home.

"You're right. It doesn't make it ok but you are right."

He moved and plastered a smile on his face. He gave Spock a small slap on the back to show he was alright. He felt the vulcan stiffen under his hand and smiled even wider.

"Indeed."

They spent the next several hours finishing the new computer before moving on to the programming. They had just started when Liz came in through the door, still clad in her work clothes. Liz moved to the kitchen area where the three men were and her face lit up with a smile. She looked tired but happy.

"Spock! It's great to see you up."

She shrugged off her coat and scrub jacket to reveal she was wearing a set of blue scrub pants and a black fitted t-shirt. Her hair was starting to fall out of the clip it had been pulled back in and she sat in the remaining chair at the table.

"It is good to be up. Thank you for your concern and care during my convalescence."

Kirk watched her a little closer and could see lines of fatigue on her face. Even McCoy seemed to be watching her. She sensed their concern and waved them off.

"You'd be tired too. It was weird. You won't believe some of the stuff I had today."

She stretched and folded in on herself before continuing.

"I had a wedding party with food poisoning, a mathlete high on Ritalin believing she found the equation proving God was real and I had to culture a man's tongue because he licked the bottom of his girlfriend's shoe."

Kirk and McCoy laughed while Spock looked puzzled.

"Why would the man do such a thing?"

Liz giggled before answering.

"Because she told him to."

Liz shook her head before moving to look at the kitchen a little forlornly.

"Why don't we go out to celebrate? I mean, Spock's awake and so far things are progressing well. I think it'd give everyone a fresh perspective and help us to feel more energized."


	31. Chapter 31

**AN: hi! Thank you so much for the wonderful words of encouragement. This chapter has some violence in it as well as an interesting meeting. I hope it's ok. Anyone who doesn't like it please PM me and I can always change it. Ideas are always welcome! **

**Tishbing**

Chapter Thirty-One

McCoy pulled on the forest green sweater and dark jeans Liz had bought for him and waited in the living room for her to come out. Liz was talking excitedly about taking them out and Spock and Jim were huddled at the kitchen table talking in low voices. He would never admit to it but it made him a little nervous.

"Jim, Spock? Aren't you two going to get ready?" He asked.

They both straightened and Jim looked downright guilty. He raised and eyebrow and was about to question them when he heard the bathroom door open and Jim actually whistled. He turned to see Liz looking beautiful. Her hair straightened and pulled back into an elegant knot, her face glowing bright red in shy embarrassment. She was wearing a plum colored top covered with a cardigan but it was the skirt that had him blushing. The small black skirt hugged her hips but flared out slightly and then there was nothing but leg. His mouth went dry and all he could manage was a small stutter before he felt a slap to his back bringing him back to the present.

"Looks like it's more of a party for two, not four, Bones."

He glared at Jim before turning back to Liz. Damn.

"You...uh...look nice."

Liz smiled brightly and grabbed her coat before looking at the trio with a questioning glance. Jim stepped forward.

"I think Spock and I will sit this trip out. The programming is going faster with his help and I think we might crack it tonight. Any ideas where we could meet with potential visitors?"

She nodded and walked to her bookshelf and flipped through a map of Washington state before settling on a location. She spread it on the little bit of table not taken up by electronics and leaned over to point out a location. Her skirt inched up her thighs slightly as she looked over the map. McCoy had to fight the urge to not throw a sheet over her as he saw Kirk take an appreciative glance and waggle his eyebrows at him. He swore Jim was a damn tomcat when it came to girls.

" I'm thinking Snoqualmie National Forest near Concrete, Washington. It's far away from military bases and the town is small. Maybe around Baker Lake?"

She circled the area with her finger and Spock nodded acceptance.

"How long would it take for us to arrive at that destination from our current location?" He asked.

"About two hours but it's secluded. It's the off season for either camping or skiing. No-one will be there and if we get stopped I have a forest pass. I like to camp and hike in the summer so it's good for a year."

She looked up at them and shrugged at their silence.

"What?"

Jim shook his head and smiled.

"It's perfect. Thank you, Liz."

She blushed in pleasure and shrugged on her peacoat. McCoy mimicked her and pulled on his coat. He wrapped an arm around her waist possessively.

"Are you two sure you're alright on your own?"

Jim waved a hand at them dismissively.

"We'll be fine. You two can't help anyway on this."

Leonard gave Jim a grateful nod and they left. The sun was starting to set and Liz walked him to her car. He felt out of place as she moved into the driver's seat. Normally, he would be the driver and opening the door for her and all sort of southern gentleman things but this was Liz's show so he let her lead. He focused on his surroundings. The lights of the city were coming on and it sparkled. He'd been so focused on Spock that he hadn't even looked at where they were.

She drove confidently through the downtown area, pointing out the Pike Place Market, the Smith Tower, the monorail and kept up a running commentary as they drove by. She seemed so confident and excited. He enjoyed seeing this side of her. A lot of the time on the Enterprise, she was unsure of herself because she was out of place except in the medical bay.

They pulled up past the library that looked like a glass monstrosity and to a small restaurant. She glided the car into a perfect swerve and parked on the street before getting out. It looked like the perfect place and he had to smile because she knew him so well.

"I figured you might like this place. McCormick and Schmidt's Steakhouse. Since Spock wasn't coming with us, otherwise I'd have taken you to a really nice vegan place up on Capitol Hill."

"It's great."

He reached out and took her hand in his, pulling her close to him. He really was glad Jim had let them have this. He put his other hand on the back of her neck, feeling the soft skin underneath, and tilted her head up to him to look into her eyes, a vivid green staring back in excitement. He leaned in and could smell her soap, could see each individual eyelash. He pressed his lips to hers and she wrapped her arms around his neck, sighing into the kiss. It was perfect. The feel of her body against his and her lips pressing his. He wanted to stay in this moment but all too soon she was moving away.

The food had been amazing. Liz had not been exaggerating the place and the atmosphere was pleasant. It was a quiet and tasteful restaurant that gave them the illusion of privacy. He felt happy and relaxed despite the fact that they weren't where they were supposed to be. Liz seemed happy and was looking around with a peaceful expression on her face.

"What do you think?" She asked.

He reached across and squeezed her hand.

"I think I'm having a nice time. There's this place in Atlanta that I think you'd love. I want to show you where I'm from now that I'm getting to see where you came from."

"I think I'd like that."

She bit her lip and looked down before returning his gaze.

"I was wondering if, since you have some free time, if you might want to visit me at the hospital sometimes...you know, for lunches or something."

She shrugged her shoulders and looked unsure but continued.

"I figure it'd be interesting since there isn't much for you to do. If not, then I understand."

He knew it was an excuse to keep him busy. He figured Jim had put her up to it, to keep him occupied but he didn't mind too much.

"Sounds great."

They returned much later that evening. Liz had shown him the Space Needle built for the 1962 world's fair before taking them home. He was almost sad to be going back to the cramped apartment but the look on Jim's face earlier had him curious. He hoped that they had devised a way to put their plan in action.

The apartment was quiet and the table had been mostly cleared except for the new computer and...his tricorder.

"What?"

He sped over to see that it had wires and cables leading from it to the new computer. It had been gutted.

"Sorry, Bones. We needed it. The tech from your tricorder made it possible to bypass the security systems. Besides, you have the spare from Liz's kit."

Jim and Spock stepped out from the kitchen.

"It was necessary to use the CPU in the unit. I believed that you would not appreciate this so we decided to take advantage of you being occupied, doctor."

Spock walked to the computer and typed in something. He turned the monitor to show him their progress. He moved closer to squint at the screen and saw that they had indeed been successful in programming a message to be sent out from the SETI radio telescopes. It was on a rotating modulating frequency and in the Vulcan language. He grumbled his approval and stepped away but was still upset at the loss of his medical equipment.

"Do you think they'll reply?"

Liz looked next and nodded her approval. The captain squared his shoulders and his lips pressed into a thin line.

"I think they will. It's just a matter of time, though. The signal is weak and it'll take time to get far. They'd have to be pretty close to hear it but a point is in our favor in the fact that it's in their language and also that we have a Vulcan with us."

His expression darkened and he looked to Spock who continued the explanation.

"It is, however, a risk. They may not respond or they may and simply not believe us. Even in Captain Archer's time, the Vulcan people did not believe in time travel. We will have to...wait and see."

McCoy shifted his stance and felt a small note of worry lodge itself in his chest.

"What do we do until then?"

He sat heavily at the table. He couldn't stay here in this time period. He had no identity, no real purpose and his life, the life he wanted with Liz was over two hundred years in the future. Jim shrugged his shoulders, his face lined with anxiety.

"There isn't much we can do. We'll give it a week and then come up with a different plan. We put our comm frequencies in the message so keep your communicators with you at all times. Once we hear from them we'll head to the co-ordinates we listed at Baker Lake."

Liz sighed with the same amount of frustration that he was feeling as well. He hoped Jim and Spock knew what they were doing.

Days blended into one another. Jim and Spock were focused on the computer program and periodically adjusted it so that it would remain undetected. They had successfully gotten IDs from the department of licensing. Spock was apparently quite the hacker and his skills rivaled Jim's, much to the young captain's consternation. Liz had finally been able to come out at work with her "new" skill of hearing and had been tested. She had left that morning very quiet and looking green at the gills. She had brushed off his concern with a wave and told him she was working a double to have the next two days off. He decided to take her up on her offer of meeting her for lunch. It might be a nice surprise for her.

He decided to drag Spock along. The man had not left the apartment since they got there. Jim had explored the market with him and they had (Jim's idea) discovered the Bell Town bar district. A hospital visit wasn't exactly the outing that he was wanting to take Spock to but staying inside all the time was unhealthy. He had been spending a good deal of time meditating and his emotions had been starting to bleed through slightly. Not by much but in such close quarters, it was more noticeable.

They walked up Yesler Way and down the path that Liz had described and a sprawling tan brick and glass building was in front of them. A sign showed the way to the Harborview Emergency room entrance. They made their way around and could hear a loud sound in the distance. A medical helicopter was winding it's way towards them.

It was clearly a teaching hospital. A small group of young men and women surrounded a woman in scrubs at a computer under a sign saying Triage. She had short brown hair, flecked with gray and was pointing out how the system worked. Her demeanor was patient as she answered each question and her eyes warmed at each statement from her students. She looked like someone he had seen before but he couldn't place her. Spock stiffened next to him but didn't say anything. His face remained impassive but his eyes were locked on the woman at the computer with such intensity it was startling. His ears were hidden under a knit cap and he had a coat on so he would remain at a reasonable temperature but his face was paler than normal.

"Spock? You alright? You look like you've seen a ghost?" He whispered.

He turned to the doctor slowly.

"I am unsure."

He looked at the Vulcan with a clinical eye but Spock shook his head and McCoy decided to move forward with their plan to meet Liz. They moved forward to the triage desk and waited patiently while the woman teaching finished her lecture on patient intake. She then turned to them with a smile.

"How may I help you, gentlemen?"

He put on his most charming smile.

"Ma'am, we were here to visit Elizabeth Parker. We're friends of hers and we were wanting to surprise her for lunch."

The woman blinked in surprise but quickly recovered and her smile widened.

"You must be the ones she was talking about. She'd mentioned a few friends staying with her. You know she was my best student. Never seen a girl work so hard to overcome her disability and flourish. It's a miracle with her hearing. I'm Susan Grayson."

She held out a hand and McCoy took it. Spock stumbled for a moment before taking it as well. His eyes widening slightly as they made contact.

"I'm Leonard McCoy and this is Spock."

She laughed and walked around the desk to show them to the back.

"That's an unusual name." She looked the vulcan over. "It suits you, though."

She touched a panel and they continued through the pale yellow corridor lined with privacy curtains. McCoy looked everywhere and saw the archaic equipment. It was unsettling seeing the sphygmomanometers, patients receiving shots with an old-fashioned syringe and needle, a technician pushing an ultrasound machine, a doctor suturing a cut to a girl's head using a needle and thread.

"It's an absolute miracle. I couldn't believe it when Liz told me. To be able to hear after being deaf from birth. I submitted her to flight nurse training rotation. She's such a fast study that I wanted her to expand. She should be back from a run in a moment."

McCoy's head snapped around.

"Flight nurse?"

"Yeah, cross-training is essential to remain in demand."

She smiled indulgently at his sputtering. Spock stepped in to fill the awkward silence.

"Were you Miss Parker's teacher?"

"Oh yes. I've been training the nurses at the University of Washington for ten years now. I love it. Shaping young minds and seeing my work put to use makes it worthwhile. My son thinks I'm a little sentimental about it but I have always had a passion for teaching."

"Fascinating. My mother was a teacher as well. She...said the same thing."

Spock's eyes watched Mrs. Grayson with a sadness that even she could see. She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. She must have been an amazing woman."

Spock nodded. "She was. Thank you."

She pointed them to a corridor that was across from a large room that housed equipment and lights. It looked almost like a surgical suite.

"She's returning from a trauma and should be...there she is."

McCoy and Spock turn to see her running alongside a gurney, a team of doctors pushing alongside an EMT. There was a pale boy with a large piece of metal sticking out of his stomach. Liz had a steadying hand on it and was shouting over the blaring monitors. She had a flight suit covering her and it was soaked in blood.

"This is James Thomas, fifteen. He was horsing around a construction site and fell from the second floor and impaled himself on a piece of rebar. Cut it at the site. He's in shock. Pulse 140 and thready, BP 50/30. Pulse ox 90."

They moved past Spock and McCoy quickly. McCoy watched Liz as she carefully assisted in transferring the boy. He watched as she handed packets of blood to the nurse assigned and moved back. Her posture was tense but she knew her part was done. She stripped off the gloves and stepped out into the hallway. Her eyes comically widened as she saw Spock and McCoy standing next to her teacher.

"How did it go, Liz?"

She gave a tired thumbs up and Ms. Grayson beamed.

"Well, you're doing great. I've got to get back to my students." She turned back to the two men. "It was really nice meeting you. Don't be strangers."

She turned and left. Spock almost looked like he wanted to follow her but he turned back to Parker who was moving to an exam room. McCoy could feel his irritation and worry start to resurface. They followed her in and she proceeded to pull off the coverall. Though he knew the blood wasn't hers, it still brought back memories of the times she had come back broken.

"Spock? You looked like you'd seen a ghost or something the way you were looking at Susan. What's up?"

She was still hunched over pulling off the pant leg, leaving her in her scrubs and a shirt when Spock answered in a low voice.

"I believe that that woman was my great great great grandmother on my mother's side. The resemblance was...unsettling but it was pleasant to see her."

Liz's face crumpled in sadness. She reached up to put a hand on his shoulder but stopped and let her hand fall.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. I could tell you about her if you wanted. I have pictures."

Spock's eyes looked unnaturally bright but a quirk to his lips showed he was pleased.

"I would appreciate that."

She smiled and threw her coverall in the laundry hamper in the corner. Leonard moved to stand next to her.

"Why are you going up in that death trap? A helicopter?" He growled.

Liz sighed and rolled her eyes.

"What am I supposed to say to my former mentor? That I don't want the training because I'm planning on returning to the future in a few weeks? It's good training."

They moved through the halls and McCoy followed to the cafeteria where they each pulled a tray down to collect their lunches. McCoy noticed a tall, dark-haired man in scrubs eye Liz and then look at him before scowling and walking away.

"Who's that?" He asked, pointing carefully to the man.

Liz looked over his shoulder and frowned.

"My ex. He didn't take the break-up too well. He's been hovering over me for the past couple of days. He'll get over it. I heard Raj in pediatrics is making a move on him."

She shrugged and stabbed at her salad. McCoy accepted her answer but couldn't help noticing that the man continued glancing in their direction. It almost made him want to kiss her in front of him to show that she was taken but he didn't think she'd appreciate it, though. The spike of jealousy held tight all through lunch.

Looking at her watch, Liz realized that she still had another six hours before the end of her double. The night shift at Harborview always creeped her out and it was nearing one in the morning. It was almost time for the bar rush.

"Elizabeth! I've sent a patient to exam two. I couldn't find a chart so I started a new one."

The young blond smiled at her. She was new and it was her first night so the nurse manager had assigned her to triage. She seemed ok but a little ditzy so Liz had put a note in to increase her training hours. To get her better acquainted with a trauma center.

"Alright. What's going on with her...him?"

She pulled the paper chart and looked at the information listed. It was limited. There was no date of birth listed, no pulse rate, nothing except the complaint. A four centimeter laceration on his forearm. She turned to the triage nurse with a frown.

"Ok. This isn't really a good chart. Next time, please list everything. I'll do intake on him but this can't happen again. He needs triage in the main area."

She turned on her heel in irritation and walked down the hall to the exam room. She quietly knocked on the door before stepping in. There was a man hunched on the gurney. His hair was matted and he was muttering to himself as he cradled his left arm. His eyes were wide and Liz could feel a shiver work it's way down her spine. She moved to be able to stand in front of him and leaned down to get his attention.

"Hi. I'm Nurse Parker and I'm here to help you but I need to know a little bit of information first."

His head snapped up and caused Liz to jump but she shook herself and focused on the patient. She grabbed a pen from her pocket and held up the chart.

"Ok...Mr. Lewis? I need to know if you're on any medications."

She waited for a moment and his eyes widened and his breathing sped up.

"You have my pills?" He rasped.

She stepped back slightly.

"No. I was asking what you take?" She asked hesitantly.

She could see he was shaking with more than pain. his fists were clenching and unclenching causing the cut on his arm to start bleeding again. Her hand reached behind her as she moved back to try and reach the call button. She fumbled behind her and stumbled on a cable.

"Where are my pills? I need them. You took them!"

He lunged off the bed at her. Liz stopped trying to be careful and tried to run for it but strong hands shoved her to the wall. Her head snapped back and hit the wall and she felt one of his hands close around her throat. Choking, she blindly reached to grab something, anything. The man's face contorted as he looked at her and tightened his grip.

"Where are they? I can hear them! They won't stop talking but I can't see them!" He shrieked. He drew a fist back and Liz could only close her eyes as he punched her. Pain shot through the left side of her face and the back of her head. She pulled at the hand around her throat as she felt another blow to her cheek. He was so strong.

"Make them stop! Give me what you stole!"

Another blow and she didn't feel it anymore, her adrenaline surging as she brought up her knee to hit him in the groin. He dropped like a stone to the floor and curled into himself and Liz went down gasping. Her face felt like it was throbbing. The skin too tight on her cheek as her face swelled quickly.

"Dammit. This is why I hate the night shift."

She crawled to the emergency button and slammed a palm down. Immediately alarms blared citing respiratory distress and cardiac failure. Code blue. It wasn't the right alarm but it'd bring them in a hurry. She pulled herself up and carefully walked around her patient. He cringed as she moved near him and Liz felt a surge of guilt.

The doors slammed open to admit the on call doctor and resident as well as two of her co-workers. They looked around and understood quickly.

"Ten of haldol!"

Liz moved on shaky legs away and tasted blood in her mouth. Dr. Richards moved to the man on the floor and the nurses quickly lifted him onto the gurney. He was whimpering and crying when they put the restraints on and gave him a shot to help him. He was so scared.

"I think he has schizophrenia and is off his meds." She told Richards.

He nodded and Liz felt herself being pulled away by the resident. A young black man that she had yet to work with. His face was furrowed in concern as he pulled her to the room across the hall and helped her onto the gurney.

"What happened?"

He pulled out a penlight to check her pupils and moved to touch her face. Liz hissed in pain and he turned away from her to do something.

"Nurse Hathaway at triage must have not noticed he was a risk. She didn't pull his chart and take a complete history. I was trying to get it when he started to get scared."

She was looking at the door when she felt a prick and burn in her arm. She flipped her head at it and cried out at the pain shooting up her head.

"It's something for the pain. We're going to need to get an x-ray. I'm pretty sure he broke your cheekbone. Did you lose consciousness?"

She hated it when people took over for her. He continued probing at her face and looked at the back of her head when her friend Sarah burst in along with her ex John following.

"Oh, God! Liz! Are you alright?"

She quickly pulled out a cooling pack and snapped it to activate it to place on her rapidly swelling face. Her left eye was almost swollen shut at this point. John moved to the side with the resident and spoke in hushed tones where she couldn't hear.

"I'm fine, Sarah. What's he doing here?"

She pointed to John who was talking with the resident treating her. Her head started to feel fuzzy and the pain was quickly leaving her. Sarah moved to start placing heart monitors and blood pressure cuff and an O2 sat monitor on her. Liz's movements were becoming sluggish. Her only thoughts at this point were that she knew Leonard was going to be pissed.

"He heard from Dr. Richards when he came to assess the alarm. He was worried about you."

Her face was pinched in sympathy as she went about pulling out a suture kit for the back of her head and was about to place an IV when Liz pulled her hand away.

"No. I don't need that."

Sarah nodded and just held her hand while the two men conversed.

"What was Hathaway thinking? Couldn't she see that he was in the middle of an episode? He was positively shaking by the time I got to him."

"I know. Richards will be talking with the nurse manager in the morning and Hathaway will be taught how to evaluate patients again."

Liz nodded her head slowly.

"Damn straight." She muttered angrily.

John and the resident came back over to Liz and Sarah moved back into nurse mode.

"Elizabeth, I'm going to take over for . Since it's probably ortho related."

John leaned in and moved the ice pack from her face and she couldn't help but stiffen under his touch. It was nothing but professional but she hated not being in control.

"Why can't Folz continue, John?" She pushed his hands away gently to look at the newly identified doctor. He was clearly reigning in his own temper at having been usurped.

"John Holt feels that an attending should be providing your care." Folz grumbled and left.

Sarah patted her arm sympathetically and waited for orders. John returned to pressing on her face around her cheek, checking her teeth and looking at the on the crown of her head.

"We'll need a head CT and..."

She put a hand up.

"No. I just want to go home, John."

He frowned and leaned into her personal space.

"Elizabeth, you could have a concussion and a skull fracture on top of what is most definitely a fracture on your zygomatic process along the cheekbone. I just want to take care of you."

He put a hand on her shoulder and looked down at her.

"I'm fine." Liz insisted.

His gaze softened and he opened his mouth to protest but she interrupted quickly.

"Ok, well I'm not fine. I need stitches on my scalp but there's nothing that can be done for the cheekbone fracture except to let it heal naturally, right?"

"Yeah?"

"So drop it. I know it's gonna hurt like hell in the morning but I've got the next two days off."

He placed his other hand on her remaining shoulder, effectively caging her and she could feel her own anxiety and irritation start to ratchet up.

"Elizabeth, you could have trauma that we don't know about. We need to check you out."

She moved to get up but he gently pressed her back down. A vague suspicion at seeing him here came to her.

"John, what are you even doing here in the ER? You haven't done nights in two years."

The tips of his ears turned bright red and he looked away for a moment, his dark hair falling into his face.

"I missed you, Elizabeth. I wanted to try to talk to you but then this happened before your break." He looked at her and tilted his head sadly, brushing the back of his hand over the uninjured side of her face.

"I think that we should try again. I love you and want to take care of you. Can't you see how dangerous this place is and why I wanted you to move on?"

She blew out a frustrated huff and could see Sarah standing awkwardly at her shoulder. She reached up and grabbed his hand and gave it a small squeeze.

"John, I said no. This job may suck sometimes and right now is one of those moments but it is what I love to do. I don't fit into your idea of a life and you'll find someone else. You could be my friend and help me get out of here?"

He screwed his eyes shut and nodded slowly.

"Only after you pass a neuro exam and I get your prescription filled."

She agreed and he moved behind her and pulled on his gloves to start to stitch the cut to the back of her head.

"John?"

"Hmm?"

"Mr. Lewis didn't get hurt by my kick? Did he?"

He laughed a small chuckle.

"Always the nurse. Worrying about everyone, even if they hurt you. No. He was more scared than hurt. I don't think he fully understood what happened and the pain was too much for him to handle."

Liz smiled and closed her eyes in relief.

"You mind giving me a lift home? I don't feel up to walking." She asked quietly.

She felt him squeeze her shoulder.

"Sure. You have friends staying with you?"

She almost nodded her head but responded verbally.

"Yeah. They'll keep an eye on me."

"Ok."

**AN: yes, I hurt Liz frequently but I wanted to show that she still cares for her patients even when they hurt her. My mom had schizophrenia and couldn't help herself when she didn't take her meds. It's a hard to manage mental illness and they honestly cannot help themselves when they don't take their medication. Also, in the next chapter I wanted to focus on Kirk and Spock in the next chapter when they deal with trying to get home. Their little jaunt in the 21st century is slowly drawing to a close and not everyone may leave. Please review!**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

John had been true to his word in getting her home and not forcing her through the multitude of tests. He did force another shot on her and hand her a prescription of Vicodin even though he knew she wouldn't take them unless things were dire. He walked her to her door and waited until she was inside. Once her eyes adjusted to the darkness she saw that Spock was sat on the living room floor deep in meditation and the bedroom door was closed. It was about four in the morning so it was likely the boys were still asleep.

She carefully edged into the apartment and moved to the bathroom. Once there, she turned on the light to take stock of her injuries. Her face looked like a bulldozer had gone over the left side. The left eye had finally swollen completely shut. Her lip was split but the swelling was minimal. She held the hand mirror and used it to look at the back of her head. The cut was small and her hair hid it so it wasn't too bad. She leaned forward and inspected her neck and could make out the thumb and finger marks bruising along her neck. Damn. She really didn't want to deal with it right now. She pulled out the medical tricorder and put it on silent to run a quick scan. It came up negative for a concussion but the other results were unsurprising. John had estimated her damage accurately. Though she hated to admit it, she was glad for the pain shot. It made it tolerable and she put the equipment away.

She tiptoed into the living room and was glad to see the blankets and pillows still on the couch but it wasn't unfolded into a sleeper. Since Spock didn't look like he was going to bed any time soon she just laid down facing the back of the couch and covered her head with the blanket. She'd deal with it later.

McCoy shuffled into the kitchen and was glad to see there was coffee. Liz had kept them well stocked. Jim and Spock were realigning the distress signal being sent by the SETI system and were deep in discussion. They were devising a program to erase all of their tampering and were beginning to implement it so that all they would have to do is hit send when they left. That was their hope.

He sipped his coffee and looked around the apartment. Seeing a lump of blankets on the couch, he smiled. He was glad Liz was home. It had been a very boring twenty-four hours without her there.

"Any luck, Jim?" He asked.

The captain shook his head and continued typing.

"No but I've got a feeling. I've added a few lines to the message. Making it more detailed."

He sighed and looked up. Frustration was beginning to mount for all of them.

"I'm hoping to hear something soon."

McCoy agreed. He looked over at Liz and frowned. She was very still for being asleep. She must have been tired. It had been a long shift for her. Spock moved to stand next to him.

"I heard Miss Parker come in earlier than she had told us. Perhaps she was simply fatigued from the length of her shift."

McCoy eyed the commander. Sometimes it was just damn spooky when the vulcan could read him like that. Liz was awfully still. He walked over to her and went to pull back her blankets but she pulled back and kept herself covered.

"Sleeping here." She groaned.

He raised an eyebrow and knew there was more to it so he grabbed a fistful of the sheets and his stomach plummeted. Her face was swollen and her neck was ringed with bruises. She threw an arm up to shield her eyes from the sudden brightness but he deftly swiped them away.

"My god! What happened?"

He pulled her into a sitting position and cupped her face gently. He looked into the one eye that he could see to check her pupil reactions. He felt Jim and Spock move behind him and heard Jim's hiss of surprise and sympathy.

"Jim, I need the med kit."

He felt a small stirring of anger but it was smothered by concern as he carefully felt at her face to check the damage. He trusted his tricorder but sometimes there was a need for him to physically feel his patients. To give them a human connection and help him to connect with them. He reached to lift up her shirt to check her abdomen but she swatted his hands away and he growled in impatience. Flashes of memories from the fated survey mission at planet G-23 came to the forefront of his mind.

The captain opened the case and handed him the medical scanner which he reluctantly started to use in place of his hands. Liz started to fidget and pull away but he gave her a glare and she held still.

"What happened? These injuries are hours old. If I had known about them earlier I could have done more. As it is I'm limited. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Liz breathed a deep sigh and winced as he prodded at her cheek.

"I had a patient that had an episode. He got scared and saw me as a threat. He couldn't help himself and if the triage nurse had done a proper intake then this wouldn't have happened."

He began to prep a hypospray with an anti-inflammatory and pain relief when she scooted back and out of his reach. Irritation flared and he gripped the device tightly, his knuckles turning white.

"Damn it, Liz! What is wrong with you? If the readings didn't say otherwise I would think there was neurological damage. Stay still."

He moved forward to give her he shot and she dodged him again before he could depress the plunger.

"Look, you can't treat me. How would I explain a miraculous recovery to my co-workers?"

"Tell them Jesus healed you. I don't care what you say. Hold still or I'll get Jim to sit on you. He likes it when someone else has to be given shots."

Spock stepped up to her other side and chimed into the discussion.

"It is illogical to deny yourself treatment. Under Dr. McCoy's care you would recover at a more rapid pace than without his assistance."

She turned to reply and he seized his chance. With a yelp from Liz, he knew he'd hit his mark. Her hand shot up to rub at the spot on her neck and she glared at him which he promptly ignored in favor of retrieving his tissue regenerator and attached the micro-units to her neck, setting the cycle. Her resistance crumbling under his glare. While those were running, he pulled out the vascular regenerator and dermal kit to work on the cut on her scalp. He saw the small black line of sutures and scowled at them. He made quick work of removing them and repaired the damage the correct way.

While he worked, he realized that there was nothing he could do to repair the fractures to her cheekbone. He didn't have the equipment. Fractures were considered secondary treatment and therefore were not included in the design of the first aid kit. All he could do was reduce the swelling and continuously remove the bruises. The bruises would not fade completely because of Liz's delay in seeking treatment but they'd be a little less painful.

He was sealing the cut when he heard an insistent beeping. Jim's head snapped up and he ran across the room.

"Spock! It's a reply!"

He pulled out his communicator and McCoy could see it flashing with an incoming message. His face was triumphant as he ran back to Spock with the device. Spock closed his eyes and flipped the little black box open.

"T'nar pak sorat. Shaya tonat na'kilko tor flakosh-glaribek."

"Greetings. Thank you for replying to our distress beacon"

"T'nar jaral. Etek dungi ragel-tor svi' leh-dah v'hral."

"Greetings. We will meet you in twelve hours."

"Dungi kup-sarlah nash-veh."

"I will be able to come."

The line went dead and McCoy stared at Spock in anticipation. His heart was pounding in excitement.

"Well? Are they gonna help us?" McCoy, Liz and Kirk were waiting with baited breath. Their recent issues forgotten.

"They said they would meet with us in twelve hours. I believe we should prepare. The universal translator will assist in easing the communications barrier."

McCoy pulled off the tissue regenerators and moved to pack them away. Liz moved to stand and swayed on her feet. McCoy shoved her carefully back onto the couch.

"Oh no you don't!" He snarled.

Kirk moved forward and placed a hand on her shoulder with a sympathetic look.

"Liz, as much as I admire your determination, you need to stay here. You're not in any condition to be traveling. Spock and I will leave to meet with the vulcans while you and Bones will stay here. We'll be back by tomorrow morning." He turned to McCoy. "We'll comm you if something happens. If it all goes to plan, then we should be getting a pick up in three days."

McCoy nodded in agreement with his plan and went back to finishing his care of Liz's injuries. She let him continue to work as the captain and first officer started to collect the things they would need. Their communicators, a data chip with the information to be stored until eventually released to the Enterprise and a map to get to Baker Lake at Snoqualmie National Forest.

McCoy laid Liz back down and was pleased when she fell back asleep. He knew she was irritated but she'd get over it. His focus was on Jim and Spock. They were both looking distinctly anxious as they waited to be able to leave. Jim had taken to tapping his foot and double-checking the message that the vulcans would carry for them while Spock was working on erasing their tampering of the SETI system.

"Jim, do you think they'll listen?" He asked nervously.

"I think that they will. They'd have a hard time explaining us away. If it was just me, then they could just say it was a fluke but since I've got Spock with me...they'll listen."

He really hoped so.

Spock sat next to the captain in the cramped vehicle. He watched as the young blond manipulated the steering wheel and the sped up the highway, heading north, away from the city and into the countryside. It was fascinating to see the landscape changing from developed to peaceful farming communities. It was not very different from what he remembered it to be when he had visited his mother's parents in his youth.

The sky was darkening as they pulled onto a more narrow street. Signs pointing them to their destination helped them greatly. Miss Parker's vehicle lights did not illuminate as well on the dirt and gravel paths that made up the end of their journey. Spock readily admitted to feeling a small sense of anticipation at meeting his ancestors on his father's side. The memory of Susan Grayson was a distinctly pleasant one. She had been almost a mirror image of his mother but with longer hair and grey streaks shooting though the brown. Miss Parker's stories were fascinating. The likenesses had not ended at physical attributes. She had a dry sense of humor and a deep love of teaching. Parker had an album full of pictures of her time at college and work which had images of Mrs. Greyson. She packed it in a backpack and explained that he could have copies of the images when they returned to their proper time. Nyota would be fascinated by these. She often encouraged him to explore his human half and with her guidance and with her by his side it was an enjoyable ride.

Kirk pulled up to the Baker Lake campsite and opened the compartment that contained the season pass. He quickly found it and put it on the rear view mirror before exiting the vehicle. Spock did not particularly want to leave the warmth of the car as a light frost was settling on the ground but necessity dictated that they arrive at the co-ordinates they specified to meet the Vulcan delegates.

"They should be here in an hour or so. Let's get moving."

Kirk pulled out a flashlight and he copied. The ground was uneven as they walked along the trail. The darkness was almost suffocating and the only sounds were their boots crunching the gravel and the swish of their coats. Kirk moved with confidence and soon they were at the clearing. There was a tree-line surrounding one side of the space while the other was surrounded by the lake. Kirk opted for them to stay semi- hidden in the trees and they waited.

Forty-five minutes passed before they saw anything. Spock was thankful that the campsite was empty. There was not a soul around to hear the roar of the engines as a small craft touched down. It looked to be a two seater shuttlecraft. It's design was distinctly vulcan. The dark bronze and golden-framed exterior were highlighted in it's landing lights. It touched down with perfect precision and the two men slowly moved out to meet them as the door opened and a ramp lowered to the ground. Spock had seen the films that Miss Parker had shown him from this era and the sight of the two vulcans walking down the ramp was nearly identical to the terrans of this time period's fantastical fictional description of aliens.

There were two of them and they were wearing traditional robes. One was slightly ahead of the other and it was clear that he was in charge. He was older, possibly around a hundred and fifty. His ears ended in a severe point and his face was sharp and angular with bright eyes that immediately searched the two men in front of him. Spock could see skepticism and an intelligence that would rival his own. His subordinate was shorter by a foot and rounder. The bowl-cut hair style only served to make him look chubby and far too young. Spock and Kirk stepped forward. The young captain's back was straight as he nodded in greeting and Spock followed suit. The captain and him turned on their UTs to speed up their meeting.

"Greetings. I am Spock, son of Sarek, grandson of Skon. This is Captain James Tiberius Kirk. We have been stranded in the past and request your aid in rectifying the situation."

The taller Vulcan's eyes widened in surprise as Spock pulled off his hat to reveal his ears. They were his defining alien feature. He waited patiently for a response. The captain remained silent.

"I am Sekev, captain of the D'Kyr. This is my aid, Tevel. We find it difficult to comprehend how this came to be. Temporal travel is impossible."

Kirk stiffened and approached Sekev.

"Captain, I can assure you that it is possible. Unfortunately, we have little proof beyond the fact that we are here. How could it be explained that a Vulcan is on a primitive world, that I have technology that surpasses yours in aiding communication when this planet has not yet achieved warp capability," he holds up his communicator in demonstration. "and that we know of your existence. An energy wave of unknown origin brought us and two others here. We do not ask much. All we request is that the noble people of Vulcan pass on a message to Starfleet when it is established on Earth at the correct time. This is Earth."

The vulcan captain looked skeptical. He moved past Kirk to stand in front of Spock and raised a hand to him.

"Your thoughts."

Spock was unsure but knew that it was the only way to authentically prove their situation. He gave a curt nod and remained as still as possible while Sekev placed his fingers on the psi points of his face, his fingers hot and dry compared to the cold of his skin due to the low temperature of the night leeching his heat.

Immediately, he felt like he was falling. The world around him fading away as his memories flew in front of his eyes like a film. His birth on Vulcan, the taunting of his peers, his time at Starfleet academy as an instructor, Uhura kissing him, his elder clan matriarch performing a shallow meld with him and his chosen to start a bond, the dreaded Pon Farr expected to begin. Time was limited. He was beginning to burn but he had time if they helped him. The shame of the possibility of his time if he could not return to Uhura in time. The energy ribbon took him away from her. Must return. His father is alone. His duty to Starfleet.

He felt the vulcan captain continue to prod at his memories but Spock firmly clamped down on the memories he could not be allowed to see. He hid the pain and memories of Vulcan's implosion and Nero. The agony of losing his mother in front of his eyes. Spock felt a final push and then the presence slowly withdrew leaving him alone in his mind. Sekev's brows were furrowed in curiosity and slight irritation.

"What is it you hide from me?"

Kirk moved to stand next to the two vulcans.

"There are things that we wish we could tell you but it would affect future events. Our request would not. It would simply be letting our people know where we are and they may be able to retrieve us. This planet is soon to have a war and there isn't anywhere that will be safe enough to leave a message."

Sekev studied Kirk and Spock. He was clearly thinking about what he had witnessed in his mind. Spock believed that he had provided enough evidence to prove their story. His memories showed different technology, their home world and Starfleet. He had made sure to include the limited information he had on the entity that had brought them here.

A quiet beeping came from over Sekev's shoulder and Tevel looked at a handheld device. His eyes widened but he remained composed.

"Captain, we must depart soon. It is unlikely we will remain undetected for much longer."

Kirk held out the data chip, his face open in trying to convey his honesty.

"Sekev, this is very important. Please do this for us. The information is not encrypted or hidden. You can view it and then forward it to the proper authorities."

Sekev looked at the human and Vulcan commander in turn before giving a curt nod.

"I will assist you. I will attempt communication in thirty days when I pass through this system again. If I do not receive a response, then I will assume you have left."

He took the data chip and walked up the ramp. At the entrance he lifted his hand in the traditional ta'al.

"Live long and prosper Spock, Son of Sarek and Captain James Tiberius Kirk. I anticipate it will be a fascinating time when the Earth will be ready to meet vulcan and I look forward to it."

They both returned the gesture as the door shut on the shuttle. The wind picked up from the engines starting and they quickly moved out of the way as the craft lifted and finally wound it's way back to the stars.

Kirk turned to Spock with a sad smile on his face.

"What did you show him to convince him that we were telling the truth?"

"I showed him my life. The pleasant aspects and the negative. I did not show them of our race's impending near genocide."

Kirk placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed before letting it fall to his side with a sigh.

"I'm sorry to have had to ask. I'm also sorry you had to go through that."

"I am as well, Captain."

He let out a small laugh and patted him on the back causing Spock to stiffen in irritation.

"Jim. Spock, call me Jim!"

"Very well, Jim. I believe it is time for us to return to Miss Parker's residence to prepare to depart in three days."

On the Enterprise

Lieutenant Sulu was on the bridge watching the swirling blue and green planet he called home. His family had been living in San Francisco for many years and he loved everything to do with it. It was beautiful in it's diversity. In about twenty minutes he'd get the best view of the California coastline from orbit. He was really looking forward to seeing his family when he would be relieved after his shift. Pavel had been telling him that his mother would be meeting them as well when they beamed down.

A sudden alert caused him to look up. The lights went low and an alarm started to ring throughout the bridge. His head shot to the science and tactical stations to his right. Ensign Johnson was pulling out the visual scanner, his body tense.

"Report." He snapped.

Johnson's head shot up and his eyes wide.

"Sir, I'm reading a massive gravimetric disturbance heading straight for us. An energy ribbon is moving at incredible speeds and it's gonna hit us!"

Sulu slammed a fist onto the comms button on the chair.

"Bridge to Transporter Room Two. Stop transport now! We have an unexpected gravimetric disturbance, an energy ribbon heading straight for us!"

He spun to tactical.

"Shields up! Red alert!"

Red lights flew on throughout the bridge bathing it in an ominous glow. Sulu's heart began to pound as he watched the entity fly between the Enterprise and Earth before leaving. It didn't even touch them.

"Transporter room to Bridge. I dinna have time to stop th' sequence. They're gone."

Scotty's voice came through the comm tinny and horrified. Sulu turned to science.

"Johnson, scan for the captain's and first officer's comm signal."

He turned to the communications station.

"Lt. Uhura..."

A small sob brought his heart into his throat. He watched as the woman clutched her head, her face twisted in agony as she collapsed to the deck.

"Oh, God! Johnson, call sickbay. We need a team up here now!"

He sprinted to Uhura. Her face was ashen and twisted in pain. Her legs folded underneath her like a fallen deer and her hair fanned behind her head.

"Oh, Uhura."

He went to hold her hand and could feel that it was clammy and sweaty. She was unconscious but in immense pain. Johnson came over.

"Sir, we've been unable to locate Kirk, Spock, McCoy or the Ensign traveling with them. They didn't arrive on the surface and we're receiving a hail from Starfleet command. It's Admiral Pike."

Sulu started when he heard the name. The medical team finally arrived on the bridge and took Uhura away so he was able to focus.

"On screen."

The image of Earth below them was quickly replaced by a greeting Starfleet admiral behind his desk.

"Lieutenant Sulu. I am aware of what has happened. The energy ribbon has somehow transported Captain Kirk, Ensign Jones, Lieutenant Commander McCoy and Commander Spock into Earth's past. They somehow got a message sent to us through the vulcans that was time released. We only just heard. They are alright but mentioned a concern for Lt. Uhura. A Vulcan healer and expert on temporal mechanics is on the way from New Vulcan to assist. Since Enterprise is due to be in space dock, take her into Jupiter Station. The vulcan heading the team has specifically asked for you, Ensign Chekov and Lt. Cmdr. Scott to assist. Use whatever resources you need, within reason. They should be arriving within the hour by private craft."

Sulu was flabbergasted. Why not have the message received before they were taken? Temporal mechanics made his head hurt. He looked over to Chekov at the nav station who had a similar look of disbelief on his face.

"You heard the admiral. Let's get moving."


	33. Chapter 33

**AN: ok readers, here is the tragic ending. You all have a chance to change it or have an equally sad epilogue that will show Liz's purpose to returning to her time. I have a plot for both of these choices. You as readers can choose whether Liz is reunited with McCoy or whether they stay apart. I need reviews to know what you all are hoping for and also to see if people are still reading the story. You decide! I personally want a happy ending but everyone has happy endings and it seems a bit cliche. **

**Tishbing**

Chapter Thirty-Three

Lt. Sulu, Ensign Chekov and Lt. Cmdr Scott were waiting at the shuttlebay doors once the unusual craft landed. It was a sleek, unfamiliar model and the engineer could barely contain his enthusiasm at being able to see the ship. They had been requested specifically by the Vulcan temporal specialist. Sulu's thoughts kept drifting back to his friend, Uhura, back in the medical bay. She had been so still and pale. She looked so small in the medical bed, almost as if half of her was gone. In a way it was. Spock was missing and these vulcans were their only hope to get their people back.

The bay doors opened now that the pressure had equalized and the three men stepped forward. The Vulcan ship was large but not overly so. It looked like a sleek arrow reminiscent of old US Air Force jets but larger and more streamlined. It was a bronze color and was definitely large enough to comfortably house ten or twelve crew members. The hatch lowered and two aged vulcans stepped out. On the left was a woman in formal black robes with her hair coifed in an intricate style up high on her head, her eyes sharp as she surveyed her greeting party. Next to her stood a much older vulcan male in brown, simple robes. His hair gray and not as stiff as his companion. His eyes seemed to light up as he looked at them and Sulu could swear he saw a hint of a smile on his lips. He recognized him from their visit to New Vulcan.

"Surok, it is good to see you again. We welcome you both to the Enterprise. My name is Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu." He nodded in greeting and gestured to the two men beside him.

"And this is Lieutenant Commander Scott, our chief engineer and Ensign Pavel Chekov, our navigations officer."

The vulcan male lowered his head in greeting and used a hand to indicate the woman next to him.

"This is Elder T'Pau. She will asses Nyota Uhura and attempt to help her while I discuss my plans for the retrieval of your crew mates."

Sulu acknowledged the older woman and showed them to the medical bay where Uhura was located. She had on a medical gown and was covered by a thin sheet, her complexion was ashen and the monitors showed her to be in a type of coma. T'Pau stepped over to Uhura and placed a hand on her face. She closed her eyes and seemed to be deep in thought for a moment before jerking her hand away from the woman and frowning. She turned back to the curious group.

"Leave us. I require privacy. Your crewmember is suffering from a fractured bond with her intended. I can dull the pain and shock but the true treatment is either Spock's death to break the bond or his return to cement it in a full marriage bond." Her gaze settled on Sulu. "I anticipate your return with my grandson."

She turned away in an abrupt dismissal that led Sulu to stare open-mouthed at her back. He had known that Spock was important but he didn't know that he was related to T'Pau. She was the only person to have turned down a seat on the Federation council. He also didn't know that Uhura and Spock had moved to that point in their relationship. With T'Pau now addressing Uhura's situation, he had to move on with their meeting with Surok. He closed his mouth with an audible click and straightened his back.

"Sir, I think we can use Dr. McCoy's office to do our meeting. If it's possible, I'd like for us to get under way as soon as possible."

Scotty and Chekov smiled thinly in agreement while Surok led the way.

"That is agreeable."

Once they piled into the office, Surok pulled out a data clip and plugged it into the computer. Instantly they heard Captain Kirk's voice.

_"If you are hearing this then that means that we were successful in our attempts to contact Starfleet. This is Captain James Tiberius Kirk of the USS Enterprise. Myself and three other officers were somehow transported back in time to November 1st 2012. Transported along with me are Lt. Cmdr. Leonard McCoy, Commander Spock and Ensign Elizabeth Parker. We are unharmed._

_We utilized the SETI radiotelescopes to contact the Vulcans from this time period and requested that they hold onto this message and deliver it to Starfleet officials at the proper time to minimize the risk of interfering with the timeline. I know of one Vulcan who has experience in dealing with temporal anomalies, Surok. It is my hope that he will be able to assist in retrieving us from the past. _

_We have chosen a secluded area and date where we may be able to be retrieved. We will be located at Baker Lake Campground on November 14th 2012. It is a fair distance from the military base at Ft. Lewis-McChord and it is not usually utilized in the off-season. The co-ordinates are Latitude 48-43'44" North Longitude 121-37'45" West. We recommend retrieval under cover of darkness. I advise caution. The technology of this era is sufficiently advanced to detect an incoming craft so it would have to be a fast grab and run. _

_In addition, we are concerned for Lieutenant Nyota Uhura. She may be suffering from a broken or fractured bond due to Spock's disappearance. She will need a Vulcan healer to attend to her. Spock has been able to control his level of damage by entering into a healing trance but Uhura does not have that ability and will need the help. _

_I hope to see you soon. Kirk out."_

The message ended abruptly and Sulu shook his head in disbelief. Chekov was the first to speak.

"And how did you get zis message, sir?"

Surok removed the data chip and put in a second one. He turned to the young russian.

"This recording has been in my people's possession for over two hundred years. It was transferred to Starfleet over fifty years ago. I was told to prepare for this particular instance about a year ago from Starfleet command. We could not interfere because it could create a paradox. The anomaly that brought the captain and his crew members into the past is an unknown element and it was decided that it would be best to allow events to unfold as they did before."

Surok turned to the computer and activated the program. It was a model of his ship and a trajectory path around Earth's sun.

"This is my proposal. It has not been done here...yet. I, however, have performed this maneuver under less than favorable circumstances and was successful."

He allowed a small indulgent smile and Sulu wondered where the hell Starfleet dug this guy up. He shook his head in amazement at the calculations scrolling across the screen and Chekov was looking at them like a kid in a candy store. Scotty was open-mouthed in shock as he saw the engine schematics noting that it was a far more advanced model than the Enterprise.

"This ship is my personal design. I theorized that a smaller vessel would be a simpler method to retrieving Captain Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Miss Parker. No offense to the Enterprise, of course. Using the Enterprise herself would have been ideal but a small team is also for the best in case we are unsuccessful." He added to the engineer who simply nodded without removing his eyes from the screen.

"It is my belief that we need to create a temporal slipstream anomaly by utilizing the sun's gravitational energy. We can do that by plotting a course around the sun and using the pull of the star to assist us in a slingshot maneuver. This will create a singularity that we should be able to use to return to the past."

Sulu held up a hand.

"So, hold on. You mean to say we shoot around the sun at high warp and it will send us back in time?" He frowned at Surok.

"How come this has never been done?" He asked.

Surok acknowledged his question with a deep nod.

"It is possible that it has been done, just not documented. The journey is taxing to the dilithium crystals and a sufficient way of purifying them has not been invented yet. The traveler may have gotten to the past only to not be able to return."

He pointed to the screen and his demeanor turned serious.

"This will work. I do need a navigator, pilot and engineer to guarantee it, though. I know that you three are the best in your fields."

Scotty stepped forward with a determined look in his eye.

"Aye, that we are. Let's go get our people."

The ship had been larger than Sulu had expected. It even had a small two person transporter pad. He sat at the controls at the helm and was thankful the design was almost exactly like his station on the Enterprise. Chekov and Surok were next to him deep in conversation about the computer programming needed to ensure that the braking thrusters fire at the appropriate time to get them out of the time stream anomaly. Sulu had to shake his hands and take a deep breath, he was nervous. Chekov looked up at Surok with a strained expression, his face pale as he finished his task.

"Alright, Sair. We are ready to engage computer. I heff programmed ze variables according to your calculations. Availability of fuel source, mass of ze ship in a time continuum."

Surok nodded his understanding and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Very well. Engage computer. Prepare shields." He moved to a seat in the center of this ship's small bridge and proceeded to buckle himself into his harness prompting the three humans to imitate his actions. Sulu thought that maybe he should think himself lucky to be able to be the first pilot to fly in a time stream but all he could feel was a building sense of fear and nausea at the pit of his stomach.

"Shields, Aye."

Scotty leaned forward from his station at the back.

"All panels indicate optimum levels. We're as ready as we'll ever be."

Surok straightened himself and a look of determination and confidence seemed to emanate from the aged man. It helped Sulu to feel that maybe this would work.

"Prepare for warp speed Mister Sulu. Engage."

Sulu pressed the buttons and lowered the lever. The small whine of the ship and glowing streaks of the stars showed him that they were under way.

"Warp 2...warp 3...4...warp 5."

The ship started to vibrate slightly and Earth's sun became larger on the view screen.

"Warp 6...8...warp 9."

"Heat shields at maximum." Chekov checked his instruments and navigation. The sun's gravity already starting to pull the ship into a curve. Sulu had never been crazy enough to try this.

"Warp 9.2...warp 9.3, 9.5...warp 9.8."

"Now Chekov!" Spock shouted.

Earlier on Earth November 13th 2012

Liz was feeling off. Perhaps it was the injuries from two days ago but her stomach never settled right in the mornings. She'd not been outright ill but just not right. She normally had coffee but decided tea was best. She was still mad at Leonard for his overreaction but she supposed it was understandable. Since Kirk and Spock had returned with the good news that they had been able to convince the vulcans to pass on their message Liz had been thinking about her life. Things were so up in the air for her and she wasn't sure what to do. Whether to follow her heart or her head. They both led her in opposite directions.

She moved into the living room with her tea and turned on the news. She wasn't really interested in hearing what had to be said but wanted the background noise. She had become so accustomed to hearing by the enterprise's medical miracle that she craved the noise. She'd began to discover music and it was wonderful. Although, she did feel silly exploring these things with her current roommates. She wasn't used to living in such close quarters and had forced them all to leave for the morning.

Leonard had taken to basically attaching himself to her hip. It was sweet and so unlike the normally grouchy doctor that it had been a bit of a surprise. Maybe he knew her thoughts and was afraid. She knew one thing, though. If the captain didn't stop laughing at her when McCoy motherhenned she was going to punch him. Insubordination be damned. This was why she didn't mention feeling off for the past couple of days.

The boys didn't get back until late afternoon while Liz was double-checking their bags to be sure nothing was to be left behind. She was looking out the window at her city when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her middle.

"Hey. Saying goodbye?" Leonard put his chin on her shoulder and looked out at the view with her. She felt a sense of melancholy as she watched the bustle of traffic and people.

"Something like that." Liz murmured.

She turned into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck. She looked into his eyes and could see how much he truly loved her. To be honest, she loved him. More than life itself but could she...she didn't even want to think about it right now. Right now she had him here and she didn't want to waste a moment. He leaned forward slowly and she pressed a kiss to his lips. He was surprised slightly but pressed back, deepening the kiss and taking control, pulling her to him. She felt a tongue swipe across her lips and she opened her mouth slightly to let him in. She poured all of her love into that kiss, hoping that he would understand.

The pulled apart minutes or hours later, breathless and she hugged tight to him.

"I love you."

He huffed a small laugh.

"I love you, too."

Darkness came quickly as they sped up through Snoqualmie pass. All four of them were quiet and tense with nerves. Their hopes riding on the slim chance that the Enterprise crew could once again do the impossible and rescue them. They pulled into Baker Lake Campground and piled out of Liz's small red hatchback. Kirk stretched immediately and had a gleam in his eyes as he surveyed the dark landscape. His excitement at the possible rescue was palpable. Spock looked similarly excited. He pulled out his comm device and was immediately scanning all the frequencies. It was a toss up as to whether the crew would arrive between midnight and six on the fourteenth or the night of the fourteenth. McCoy looked at his watch.

"Alright, it's midnight."

They all nodded and waited until Kirk spoke up.

"I brought firewood earlier. Anyone up for a campfire?"

It wasn't long before there was a bright crackling fire burning and keeping them warm. McCoy huddled next to Liz on one side and Kirk on the other while Spock sat a small distance away. It had been a good idea and helped pass the time as each of them in turn spoke of the past. McCoy left to fetch a blanket from the car and the captain leaned closer to Liz.

"You're not coming with us, are you?"

It was the question she had been asking herself all day. There had to have been a reason she was brought back. As much as she wanted to go with Leonard and have that adventure she couldn't shake the feeling that she had to stay behind. Spock watched the discussion intently and Liz fidgeted slightly.

"I've noticed you distancing yourself from Bones over the past few days and he's just been holding on tighter."

Kirk's face turned serious and the flickering if the flames danced in his sad blue eyes.

"Please tell me you have a damn good reason for breaking my best friend's heart."

Liz could feel the guilt welling inside of her and she had to look away. It was too painful.

"I have a deep feeling that I'm supposed to stay. That I'm needed here. There's a reason I was brought back to this time and place specifically." She finally answered.

She forced herself to look at him, pleading for him to understand.

"I just know that if I tried to leave that I'd be dragged back until my purpose for being here is fulfilled. I want to go with you all and sail the stars but I am sure that I am needed here."

For a moment Kirk looked like he was going to argue but then he pulled back, understanding in his face. The coincidences were just too much.

"You do know that Bones is not going to let you go without a fight."

Liz let out a deep breath. Her heart clenched and she closed her eyes tightly at the thought of his anguish.

"I know. That's why I need you two to get him on that ship. His place is out there in the black with you. I thought that my place was at his side and I'd like to think that someday I'll be there but right now it's here."

Kirk was about to reply when Leonard came up behind them carrying a blanket that he wrapped around Liz and he sat next to her. He pressed himself to her and it just made what she had to do more painful. She turned to Kirk who gave a small jerk of his head to let her know that he'd pick up the pieces of her wreck.

"There they are." Spock pointed to the sky.

A bright streak and loud roaring filled the air. The fireball turned into a large ship speeding towards them. The trajectory seemed stilted but they carefully pulled into the large clearing. A sleek bronze ship set down on the grass with a loud clunk. The ship had steam pouring out of it from it's thrusters and scorch marks all along the hull. As the doors opened and a ramp lowered, Liz could hear sirens in the distance. They had to leave now!

"Come on! Let's get goin'! This ship doesna' have enough power to hang around!"

Lt. Cmdr. Scott poked his head out and the captain could barely contain his excitement. Spock and Kirk moved in place behind Liz and Dr. McCoy while he grabbed her hand.

"Come on, Liz. Let's go home."

He turned to her with an excited look and pulled at her but she held firm. His face grew determined and he pulled harder.

"Liz, we have to go."

She shook her head and pained understanding dawned in his expression. His face twisted in pain and Liz could feel the burning of tears threatening to fall.

"I can't. I'm needed here. I was brought back for a reason."

His grip on her hand tightened.

"_I_ need you!" He shouted.

She leaped forward and kissed him. A heated, fast kiss but one to say goodbye.

"I love you." She whispered.

Liz could feel Spock and Kirk move behind the doctor. He gripped her biceps and a steely look entered his eyes.

"I am _not_ leaving without you. You are coming onto that ship with us." His voice lowered and there was fire behind those words. Liz shook her head sadly, a choked sob breaking through.

"I'm sorry."

Leonard's eyes suddenly rolled up in his head and he fell forward into her arms. Spock's arm was outstretched. She held him to her tight and all too soon had to relinquish him to Jim and Spock.

"We've got him, Liz."

She nodded and blinked at the tears swimming in her eyes making everything blurry.

"I just hope he'll forgive me." She whispered.

Spock placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her.

"I am sure that he will. It was an honor serving with you, Miss Parker."

"Thank you, Commander." She turned to Kirk who was supporting Leonard.

"I will never forget any of you." She hiccuped a small sob. It was getting harder to leave so she straightened herself and walked down the ramp quickly before she could change her mind.

Scotty poked his head out and the distant sound of the sirens was beginning to get much louder.

"Come on! We've got to get goin', captain! Chekov says our presence has been detected and local law enforcement will be here in a minute!"

Liz watched as the captain and Spock carried Leonard up the ramp. Her heart breaking into a million pieces as he was taken out of sight. She felt hot tears splashing down her front as the doors closed and the ship powered up. The wind started blowing from the thrusters, kicking up dirt and causing her to cover her face and run away.

"Goodbye, Leonard. I'm so sorry."

The ship lifted from the ground and left in a graceful arc to the stars, taking the man she loved to his destiny and leaving her to her own. She stood watching the sky until a flash of light showed it going to warp and the sirens grew loud enough to force her to leave.


	34. Chapter 34

**AN: Ok, looks like more people than not voted for a happy ending. I will honor that. However, I have to say that Singstress' review was the best. It's like she was reading my mind! The next chapter will flip between McCoy and Liz's POV and have the big rescue! I hope it's ok! Please review! It makes me super happy! **

**Tishbing**

Chapter Thirty-Four

McCoy jerked awake with a snarl. He looked around and saw he was on a bunk in some sort of ship. The joint between his neck and shoulder was throbbing and he looked around. He didn't see her. He rolled off the bunk and stormed into the next compartment to see Jim, Spock, Chekov, Sulu, Scotty and Surok.

He pieced together what happened and he saw red. He stormed forward and pointed an angry finger at Spock and Jim.

"_You! _How dare you, you son of a bitch! We don't leave anyone behind!" He snarled.

His face was hot with anger and he rushed at Jim throwing a punch at him. Jim went down in a surprised heap, holding his jaw and looking at McCoy with sad eyes.

"I'm sorry, Bones. She said that she felt there was a reason for her being brought back and I believed her."

McCoy could only see in tunnel-vision, he was so furious. His body was shaking with the urge to punch Jim again.

"I don't care _what_ you believed. She doesn't belong there anymore and if you cared about her at all then you would have had Spock nerve-pinch her and drag her aboard like you did me! You had no right to decide what's best for me!"

He was breathing heavily as he waited for Jim to get up. The young captain looked defeated as he eyed his friend. His shoulders were slouched and he made no defensive moves against him.

"And what about Liz? Do you have the right to decide what's best for her? She's not some delicate flower anymore. Her time on the Enterprise changed her and gave her a sense of duty. Her skills and confidence increased."

He threw up his hands and continued.

"Hell Bones, for all I know that thing that brought her to us and then back to her own time did it _for_ that purpose. It was too much if a coincidence for it to have been random. Maybe she knew on some instinctual level that she had to stay."

McCoy stood numbly listening to Kirk when Kirk stepped forward and gripped his arms tightly. His seething glare met blue.

"She didn't leave you because she wanted to. She felt that she had to stay. She truly loved you. I'm sorry but your place is here and it's possible that hers is there."

"Take. Me. Back." He said through clenched teeth.

Kirk shook his head sadly.

"I'm so sorry but we're almost home. We're pulling up to the Enterprise right now."

McCoy wrenched himself out of Kirk's hands and made his way back to his bunk. He sat down and couldn't think. He didn't want to think.

McCoy went straight to Liz's quarters after they docked with the Enterprise. He walked in and fell to his knees unable to hold back the pain any longer. Tears fell down his front as he clambered up and into her bed. He could still smell her on her pillow and he hugged it to himself. He had been planning on asking her to marry him after Spock's wedding. He was going to pick up his grandmother's ring in anticipation of putting it on her finger and them spending the rest of their lives together. If he had known...

"Oh, God. Liz, why?"

He buried his face in her pillow and fell into a fitful sleep of what ifs.

Kirk walked into his quarters and sat down in a heap. He was bone-tired. He feels like he betrayed his best friend. He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a PADD to start his report when his door chimed.

"Enter."

He was surprised when he saw the tall, lean form of Surok enter his quarters. He had been expecting Bones with another plea to return to the past.

"Jim." He greeted with a solemn nod.

Kirk smiled tightly in acknowledgement and indicated the chair across him for the Vulcan to sit. Surok did slowly.

"I sensed that you were disturbed by the turn of events since leaving Earth of the past."

Jim snorted and walked over to the cabinet, pulling down a bottle of saurian brandy and two snifters. He quickly poured three fingers in each and handed one to the elder before downing his portion in one go. He savored the burn traveling down his throat and into his stomach, hoping it would dull the guilt settled there.

"You could say that." He ground out.

Surok watched him as he poured another and sat in front of him.

"How're Spock and Uhura?"

Surok waited a moment, sensing the attempt to dissuade the discussion.

"They are in adequate health and as you would say in very good hands. T'Pau is only at the beginning of her own journey and will achieve a great many things with her mental gifts. I know this from personal experience."

When Jim nodded in satisfaction, Surok continued.

"However, that is not who you are truly concerned for right now. You know that they are being taken care of. It is Dr. McCoy that plagues your thoughts with worry."

The memory of his best friend shaking with fury and focusing it solely on him sent a wave of nausea rolling up into his throat. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Yeah. I just hope I did the right thing. Liz seemed so sure. She didn't want to stay but she felt that she had to."

He felt the need to justify himself even though it had been her decision. He gripped the glass in his hand tight enough to risk breaking it.

"I believe that you did however, I did a little research on my own. That energy wave that encountered Miss Parker, and most recently yourself, Dr. McCoy and Commander Spock as well, was encountered before in my timeline. It was called the nexus. It's role was slightly different in my universe but it still had the ability to take people from their time and transport them elsewhere. It was widely believed it had a form of sentience. It is possible that it may have communicated with Elizabeth in an attempt to use her to correct a wrong in the timeline."

Kirk straightened as he listened. Surok stood and went to the computer and typed in a search query before turning the monitor to face him. He squinted as he read. It was Liz's obituary. His heart sank at the date. June 15th 2013. Seven months after they left her.

"Oh no." He cried in despair.

Surok placed a hand a grounding hand on his shoulder, encouraging the young captain to read on.

Elizabeth Parker (born October 31st 1987 - June 15th 2013)

Elizabeth Parker will forever remain in our thoughts. She was best known for her daring rescue six months ago of a forgotten child on a greyhound bus headed for Bozeman, Montana that had crashed. Even when her death was a strong possibility, she forged onwards and crawled out of the burning wreckage with little Sara Sloane safe in her arms.

She was brave and destined for great things until her life was thoughtlessly snuffed out by a hit and run last Saturday night as she walked to her car after enjoying a night with her colleagues from Harborview hospital.

A candlelight vigil will be held in honor of her bravery and determination to overcome life's obstacles.

The article continued with dates of her service and more background information on Liz from various colleagues and acquaintances. Kirk felt bile rising up as he continued to read and tears pricked at his eyes forcing him to stop.

"I believe that the name of the little girl saved will not be familiar but the daughter of that girl will be. Lily Sloane. The right hand man, if you'll pardon my wording, to one Zephram Cochran. The man who made first contact with my people and created the Phoenix. Earth's first warp capable spacecraft."

As Kirk let those words sink in he realized that Liz had been right. He had been right to trust in her determination but it still didn't help what he felt right now. Her death served no purpose. A senseless waste.

"Jim, I also took the liberty of viewing Dr. McCoy's tricorder readings of Miss Parker during your stay on Earth."

He paused and was clearly considering his next words carefully.

"I feel that Miss Parker's actions in December was the only need for her to remain in the past. Her death was pointless. A mere footnote in history and from the readings from the doctor's devices I believe that her place is here."

Kirk frowned in thought wondering what Surok meant.

"What do you mean?"

Surok looked at him with an intense stare.

"I mean that Liz's death was more tragic than you may think."

With that final clue, he stood to leave, pausing at the door.

"Captain, I am at your disposal should you request it."

Once Surok had left, Kirk's mind whirled with what he might have meant. He went down to sickbay to see what was on the tricorders and found them mysteriously blank. His questions unanswered, he went back to his quarters to think over what was discussed.

McCoy woke up the next day, his head pounding from last night. His face was stiff from the tears he'd shed and he felt more tired than when he'd laid down the night before. He saw a message light blinking on Liz's computer. He dragged himself to the console and hit the receive button to see Liz sitting in front of him on the screen. His throat tightened as he watched her shift and smile into the camera. She moved a small hand to tuck a curl behind her ear and her vivid green eyes seemed to be looking right into his very soul.

_"Hi, Leonard. If you are seeing this recording, then that means that my death has been logged into the computer system."_

Her eyes widened and tears glistened on the edges. She sniffed and quickly wiped them away.

_"I recorded this message in case of that happening to let you know that whatever happened was not your fault. These things happen."_

He drank in the sight of her as she took a deep breath and grimaced a smile.

_" I wanted to tell you how glad I am that I had to joy of meeting you. You are amazing, intelligent, compassionate, and so full of love. I love everything there is about you and will love you into eternity."_

She choked a small laugh and looked up at the ceiling. Once she collected herself, she faced the camera again.

_"I know that you may blame yourself for my passing or possibly someone else but you have to realize that it was probably my time. I got the chance of a lifetime being on the Enterprise with you. I had some bad time but a lot of good happened, too. I fell in love with you and that was the most amazing adventure I have ever had. I learned so much from you and the crew. I was able to grow and change into something amazing and stronger. _

_I want you to be strong, too. I want you to be able to move on and live...really live for me. The fact that you feel pain proves that you still have the ability to love. I want you to find love again and embrace it with both hands. Hold it tightly and not let go._

_I love you. Goodbye, Leonard."_

The message ended abruptly and McCoy's fists were clenched so tight he could feel his nails digging crescent shaped cuts in his palms. His jaw was tight with the agony he was feeling. She expected him to move on! To find someone else!

"Oh _hell_ no! I found love with you, Liz and I'm _not_ letting you go."

He stood up to leave and went to sickbay. His thoughts were focused on one task. He bypassed M'Benga and went to the storage cabinet. He quickly pulled out a medkit and several hypos that he might need and left before anyone noticed him...or so he thought.

He crept through the halls, careful of creating any noise. He was thankful the halls were mostly deserted as the bulk of the crew were on shore leave on Earth since they were docked. He made his way to the shuttlebay unimpeded and saw the vulcan ship that had brought them back to their correct time.

He started to walk to the ship when a voice stopped him cold.

"I am surprised it took you this long to attempt to retrieve her."

His posture straightened as he turned to face Spock who was the epitome of calm, hands behind his back and no expression on his face but it was his eyes that gave him away. They were looking at him with a sadness that matched his own. It only angered him more.

"I'm going back." He said simply.

Spock stepped forward and McCoy tensed. He wasn't skilled enough to fight a Vulcan but he'd sure as hell try.

"I'm not going to let you try and stop me. I _love_ her, dammit! _You_ can't understand the pain of what I'm going through. You have the love of your life with you. I don't. You and Jim ripped me from her!"

His chest was heaving with emotion and he was so focused on Spock that he didn't hear the shuttle bay door open and admit Kirk until he was striding up behind Spock.

"Bones, she had to stay behind to complete a temporal paradox. She had to save Lily Sloane's mother but she died a senseless death seven months after we left. I'm sorry."

That strengthened his resolve but the thought of two against one made him all the more wary. He waited on tenterhooks to hear what Jim had to say next.

"Ambassador Surok's ship does not have the power to make another trip. It was meant to be a one-time attempt." Kirk added.

McCoy's shoulders sagged in defeat. He could see that Jim wasn't lying.

"But the Enterprise has the power." Kirk included.

McCoy dared to feel a spark of hope but as reality crashed into him with a cold wave.

"We'll never get Starfleet to approve this, Jim."

His voice trembled as he spoke but Jim gave him a small smirk and turned to Spock.

"Commander...wasn't it Starfleet's order for all crew members to be returned from Earth's past?"

Spock nodded. "I do believe that was the intent of Admiral Pike's orders."

Kirk continued. "And isn't Elizabeth Parker considered an ensign in Starfleet assigned to the Enterprise thereby marking her as a crewmember?"

McCoy started to feel his heart pound in anticipation of what Jim was implying. Spock straightened and his eyes seemed to brighten.

"Affirmative, captain."

McCoy was still suspicious until Jim walked over to him and slapped him on the back.

"Well, who are we to defy Starfleet's orders, gentlemen? Let's get this show on the road!"

McCoy stood on the bridge, his body tight with fear and worry. He'd been out cold for the trip the last time but this time he was fully cognizant of what was happening. He held tightly to the railing as the crew around him began their system checks. He listened as Chekov and Sulu began synchronizing their stations and Spock and his alternate self, Surok, went over the equations needed to get them to the day of Liz's death to minimize the impact that their interference might cause.

He could feel his hands slipping on the railing, slick with sweat, as he nervously held on. He remembered the staff meeting discussing the "mission". It was determined that a small team would be sent to retrieve Liz. Kirk, McCoy, Spock and Lt. Giotto. The fewer people that went down, the less risk of impacting the timeline. Kirk, McCoy and Spock briefed Giotto about their time in the 21st century until he was well versed in it.

They were out of uniform, in appropriate clothes needed to blend in and ready to go the second they arrived.

"Course laid in."

"All departments report ready."

"Shields are up, sair."

McCoy tightened his grip until his knuckles turned white.

"We're coming, Liz." McCoy whispered to himself.

He felt the jump to warp and his heart jumped into his throat with it. His hopes rested on the crew of the Enterprise who had rallied around him in his time of need. They were the best and he knew they wouldn't fail him.


	35. Chapter 35

**AN: Aaaannnd here it is! The big reunion! Oh, it's so fun to do this! I hope everyone likes it! Please please review and tell me what you all think!**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Thirty -Five

Liz groaned as she sat behind the glass partition. She remembered this guy who was stomping up to her admit cubicle with a furious expression and a piece of paper fisted in his hands. She put on her most accommodating smile, even as he slammed the paper against the partition. She could see that it was a bill from the ER.

"How can I help you, sir?" She asked politely.

He pointed to the paper.

"Where's Dr. Lieppman? I want to know why I have a bill totaling $3000?"

Liz squinted at the bill and could see the list of tests, doctor and facility costs outlined. She sat back and frowned.

"Have you tried administration?"

He practically growled at her.

"Of _course_ I did! They said they couldn't help me! I waited four hours and then that doctor said to give him Tylenol and if he wasn't better then come back in three days."

"Did he get better?" She asked calmly.

He slammed his hands against the partition causing the desk to rattle.

"Of course he got better! But $3000 to tell me to give him Tylenol!" He spat.

He started hitting the glass with both fists.

"I wouldn't do that, sir." She warned.

"Are you gonna do something about it?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes and pointed over his shoulder.

"No. But they are. **Security!**" She called loudly.

She watched and cringed sympathetically as the man was tackled by two burly security guards. A thump and grunt and they started hauling the irate man away who was still spitting angry words at her.

"Don't _hurt_ him!" She called to the guards and turned back to the intake paperwork she had been working on, absently running a hand over her large belly. A surprise if ever there was one.

She sometimes wondered if she had dreamed her time aboard the Enterprise and then she looked down at the swell of her abdomen. The child inside would never know her father and it broke her heart to think that and to know that Leonard would never know her either. It had been a major shock when she performed the test a week after they had left. She had been happy and excited but scared at doing it all alone. She had briefly considered terminating but couldn't bring herself to go through with it. It was, after all, all she had left of Leonard and of her adventures in the future.

"So, Liz, any names picked out?"

A gentle slap to her back and a flash of teeth announced the arrival of one of her friends, Sarah. Her brown eyes sparkled with mischievousness and Liz raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Yeah." She said slowly. "Joanna, why?"

Sarah shrugged and patted Liz's stomach.

"Just wanted to know what to call it when she makes an appearance."

Liz shifted her weight and felt the muscles in her lower back protesting the movement and a flurry of kicks and twists from the inside. It was a weird feeling but it brought a warm, happy sensation to her chest.

Sarah leaned back against the wall and sighed dramatically prompting Liz to snort in amusement.

"What, Sarah?"

"It's not going to be the same without you tonight. You have to come! Nurse night was your idea to bring the staff together and without you there, it seems wrong. Jay specifically picked the place because it's fun." She whined.

"It's not appropriate for a pregnant woman to go to a gay dance club." Liz informed her friend sternly but Sarah wasn't having any of it.

"Just for an hour and it's not even a major club. It's Neighbors! It's like the tame, old folks home of gay bars and look at it this way...you definitely won't get groped. It's a double whammy! You're huge and not a gay man." She implored, clearly desperate.

Liz laughed and thought about it for a minute. It screamed all sorts of wrong but maybe it'd be fun. They only did nurse night once a month and next month she might already have had the baby.

"Alright, but I'm only staying for an hour or two."

Sarah's excited bouncing confirmed what Liz was thinking. That this was a bad idea.

McCoy hitched the jacket tighter around his shoulders until he could feel the reassuring weight of his medical kit hidden underneath along with his comm shoved in his pocket. He looked around the transporter pad and saw Jim, Spock and Giotto arranging their phasers and double checking their plan. The hope was that they would meet Liz at the end if her shift at the Harborview ER and simply beam up. Scotty had been successful at maintaining the Enterprise's power levels through their trip and they had only suffered a few minor short-outs and a couple of plasma conduits would need to be replaced but those were the only problems.

"Everyone ready?" Kirk glances around the pad and catches Bones' eyes letting him know with a jerk of his head that everything was going to be fine. That this plan will work and that Liz won't die.

"Alright. Energize."

The transporter room dissolved around them and they soon found themselves in an alleyway. McCoy could feel the heat from the day rapidly cooling as evening approached. Kirk and Spock looked around and pointed to the alley entrance and McCoy and Giotto followed as they came up beside the entrance to the Harborview emergency room. They quickly got through and walked up to the admit desk as a group. McCoy recognized the older woman behind the triage desk and walked forward.

The woman looked up and once she saw McCoy, her mouth opened in a surprised o. It made her look younger even though the gray streaks through her short brown hair denoted her true age. He stepped forward and went to the glass partition.

"Mrs. Grayson." He greeted. He was aware of Jim behind him watching the scene with interest.

"Mr. McCoy? I thought you'd moved away." Her eyebrows drew close as she scrutinized him.

"I'm just in town for a bit. I was hoping to see Liz. She should be getting off shift about now." He hedged.

Grayson looked surprised but turned behind her to ask if Liz was still there. McCoy waited awkwardly.

"She misses you, you know? She'll be really surprised to see you."

McCoy felt a small surge of excitement and warmth at the thought of seeing her again and his body tensed as a young male came forward and addressed him.

"Sorry, sir. You just missed her. If you run, you might be able to catch her but if not she'll be at Neighbor's on broadway in a couple of hours. It's the night the day shift nurses go out."

McCoy quickly waved his thanks and ran full pelt out of the ER, Kirk, Spock and Giotto hot on his heels and he knew where the bus stop was. He spun around the corner, his feet skidding on the pavement to see the number 8 bus pulling away, a flash of curly brown hair he recognized was in the windows facing away from him.

"God _damn_ it!" He cried.

"Bones, it's ok. We know where she's going so we'll catch up to her at the club."

Kirk put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him away from the bus stop. He had been so close. Giotto came up next to him.

"Perhaps we should find this club and come up with a way to stake it out."

Jim nodded in agreement and they made their way towards Broadway and walked up to Capitol Hill. They easily found the dance club and walked around the area.

"Captain, I believe it would be best to place Lt. Giotto at the front entrance near the crosswalk and I will survey the area for Miss Parker while yourself and the doctor will enter the establishment in the hopes of contacting her."

McCoy thought about Spock's proposal and it had merit. The exits were covered and in case she got lost in the crowd, then there was backup for when she left for the night. The report had stated that she had been hit by a car after she left the club so they had to be sure to grab her before that happened.

"Agreed. We'll grab something to eat and wait until the club opens in about an hour or so. We can't contact her until she's close to leaving, the fewer people that see us, the better." Kirk took out his comm and quickly informed the Enterprise of their plan and they waited.

Liz felt self conscious in the clothes Sarah had picked. She was wearing her jeans and a maternity cami that left her shoulders bare and fully showcased her stomach under the thin fabric. Normally, she wore the loose fitting tops, preferring to hide her bump rather than advertise it but these days it was getting harder to hide. She had five weeks to go until her due date and she was nervous.

"You look great, Liz. You're glowing!" Sarah pulled at Liz's arms and dragged her into the loud, dark club. The music vibrating her to the core and she smiled in spite of herself.

"Hey, girl! Come on! Just don't have that baby on the dance floor." Jay came up next to her and together they pulled her to the knot of her co-workers who were already bumping and jumping to the music.

It had been a good hour of her dancing when she first felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. The tingle racing down her spine confirmed the feeling of being watched and Liz slowed her twirling with Jay and narrowed her eyes and looked through the crowd. The flashing lights and thumping music didn't help in her search and she knew that someone was watching her. She tried to shrug off the sensation and focus on having fun but she could practically feel a set of eyes burning into the back of her head and after ten minutes of it she couldn't stand it and leaned over to Jay.

"I'm too tired. I'll see you on Monday." She shouted into his ear.

He looked worried but gave her a hug and Liz quickly said goodbye to her other co-workers assembled. She was glad to have established nurse night. It was a great way to bond. Each nurse would come up with an activity each month for them to jointly do and last month had been ice-skating. She pushed through the surging crowd of dancing people and decided to go through the broadway entrance that was less used.

The night air was a cold contrast to the heat from the press of bodies in the dance club and she had to suppress a shiver as the sweat cooled from her body. She dug into her purse for her keys and started a fast walk to her car. She still felt the unnerving sensation of being watched and she picked up her pace, keeping her head low and tightening her grip on her keys, carefully flicking out her pepperspray keychain attachment.

She reached the crosswalk and started to cross when a pair of meaty hands grabbed her from behind. She jerked and kicked behind her but the grip was strong. She pulled her head forward and snapped it back as hard as she could, adrenalin and fear surging through her veins as the grip on her loosened. She spun and, though _he_ had her purse, _she_ had her pepperspray and let it fly into his general direction. She didn't stay to see if it had hit it's mark but the groan confirmed it as she ran in the opposite direction and held her belly to stop the painful protest of it's bouncing.

She skidded around the corner and her breathing had become ragged with the effort of running. She could hear footsteps and a few shouts following her but in her fear addled mind she couldn't make out the words. She spied an alley behind the grocery store and she aimed for it, hiding behind the dumpster. She crouched and could feel sharp pains in her abdomen. She panted through them and bit her lip as she listened to see if she had been followed.

A few minutes passed and she was panting harder as another surge of agony seared through her middle and back. She clamped her jaw tight and waited. She could hear the voices coming closer and she could feel her heart pounding. Her fear was dancing in tandem with the pain from what she now suspected were contractions. Of all the times to go into labor. She spied a pipe next to her and grabbed it in her other hand, holding it defensively in front of her. She wasn't going to go down without a fight.

**McCoy's perspective**

With Spock and Giotto positioned outside, Kirk and McCoy headed into the club. McCoy immediately noticed that it was not a normal club but his focus was on trying to find Liz in the throng of people. He scanned the crowd and tried to focus through the loud music and distracting lights but was struggling with seeing farther than a meter ahead of him.

_"That was Swedish House Mafia with Greyhound and now here's Cazzette with Beam Me Up!"_

The DJ flipped the music and he had to roll his eyes. Of all the things to say. It was ironic. He turned to Jim who laughed and shrugged but then his eyes widened and he pointed over McCoy's shoulder. McCoy whirled around and saw her behind a partition. Her saw her hair fanning around her head as she spun and twirled in a man's arms, her face peaceful and so happy it made him feel like he was being selfish for wanting to bring her back. He couldn't see below her shoulders as the partition was used to separate the dance floor from the main bar but the way the man's hands were gripping at her made him clench his hands into fists.

He started to walk closer to the dance floor to collect Liz when he felt a large hand grab his arm and another on his butt. He spun to see a young man smiling at him. He tried to disentangle himself but the man was worse than Jim after a night of drinking when he had been at the academy.

"Hey there. Want to get a drink?"

McCoy's mouth went dry and he stumbled over his words but an arm slid over his hip.

"Sorry, buddy. He's taken."

He looked up to see Jim winking at the stranger. McCoy's jaw came unhinged as he saw the young man shrug sadly and walk away. He quickly pushed Jim off him with a grumble while the blond laughed at his displeasure.

"Dammit, Jim! I can handle myself."

"_Sure_ you can, Bones."

Kirk's eyes shone with mirth but quickly narrowed and darkened as he looked back to where they had seen Liz earlier. McCoy looked and to his horror, she was gone.

"Shit! It's time to go, Bones."

They ran out of the club and looked to their left and right. There was nothing. Liz couldn't have come this way and gotten away that fast. She had to have gone out the Broadway entrance so Giotto and Spock were their best bet.

Once they got around the corner to Broadway, they saw Spock running across the street and Giotto covering his face.

"What happened?" Kirk snapped.

McCoy went to Giotto and peeled back his hands to reveal a bloody, possibly broken nose and streaming eyes with some type of chemical on his face.

"Captain, I saw Lt. Giotto attempt to stop Miss Parker and she did not allow him a chance to speak before she...defended herself. She ran towards that alley and..." Spock pointed.

"Then let's go. Sam, you have to go back to the ship." Kirk interrupted.

"Aye, Sir." He replied to their retreating backs.

Kirk and Spock took the lead with McCoy following. They were faster than him and soon they were in the dark alley. McCoy couldn't see anyone and was about to say so when Kirk and Spock's hands flew up to silence him. They moved slowly and quietly and then he heard it. A muffled sound of ragged breathing and whimper of pain. He knew that sound.

"Hello?" He said cautiously.

He moved around his friends to get closer to the sound. He heard a clang of metal and a figure jumped out from behind the dumpster. Her green eyes were wild and frightened as she pointed a metal pipe at them in a shaking grip.

"**Get the HELL away from...**me?"

The pipe lowered and McCoy took in the full view. A _very_ _pregnant_ Elizabeth Parker stood in front of them. McCoy's mind went blank with shock.

"Leonard? Oh, _shit_!"

She dropped into a crouch, the pipe falling with a clatter and McCoy's shock wore off as he rushed to her side, pulling out his scanner as he gripped her with one hand.

"Liz? Yes, it's me. We're here to take you home."

Her hand snaked up to his bicep and he felt her nails dig in and clutch him in a painful grip, her answering reply was a moan of pain. He glanced at the readings and could see she was starting active labor.

"Jim, we have to move now! The baby's not head down and it's too late to stop labor."

He pulled out a hypo with an analgesic safe for use in pregnancy and applied it over her protesting hands.

"I...can't...it'll...affect...timeline." She panted.

Kirk crouched low to her level and placed a hand on her shaking shoulders.

"No it won't, Liz. Don't worry." He gave a reassuring smile and Liz grimaced through another contraction.

Kirk stood and flipped open his communicator.

"Kirk to Enterprise. Four to beam up and have a medical team standing by."

_"Aye, Sir."_

The alley dissolved around them and McCoy held onto Liz as tight as she was holding him. Liz was still in her crouch and her eyes screwed shut in pain, her face was flushed and her hair stuck to the edges of her face in curling ringlets. He placed a hand to her belly and even though Liz being in pain hurt him, he marveled at the thought that she was having his child. The timeline matched. His baby and his love were here.

"Oh, Liz. I love you." He whispered with a kiss to her temple.

"Goddamn son of a _bitch_!" She hissed as another contraction tore through her. Not the reaction he'd hoped for but this was one of the reasons he never chose obstetrics as his primary focus.

The medical team came in with Chapel at the lead and she barely missed a beat before she and an orderly quickly moved Liz to the stretcher.

"Don't you _dare _leave, Leonard! You are the reason I'm in this condition!" She snarled.

Kirk laughed and clapped a hand to McCoy's back.

"Congratulations, _Daddy_."

McCoy rolled his eyes and thought if Kirk ever called him that again he'd hypo him into next week. Spock came up next to him and nodded.

"I offer my congratulations as well, doctor."

Chapel grabbed his arm and wrenched him to the doors to follow the stretcher at a inhumanly fast pace. He caught up and she grabbed his hand in a bruising grip, her green eyes wide with fear as they sped through the hallways to deck five.


	36. Chapter 36

**AN: Ok, folks! Here's the next installment! I hope it's alright and as always, please review and let me know what you all think. **

**tishbing**

Chapter Thirty-Six

McCoy watched almost helplessly as the team lifted and shuffled Liz to the operating theater. Her protests went unheard as they laid her flat and cut away her clothing to expose her swollen abdomen to Dr. M'Benga who was prepped and ready to start. McCoy's hands rarely shook but right now they were fumbling to put on his mask and gown to be able to be next to Liz during her cesarean. The blaring biobed alarms did nothing to ease his struggles and he dropped his third mask on the floor.

"Goddammit!" He snarled.

A much steadier set of hands came from behind him and deftly tied his mask in place. He spun to meet Christine Chapel who was smiling brightly.

"Everything's going to be fine, Len. We got to her in time and M'Benga's confident that the baby will be ok. Thirty-five weeks is close enough to full term for there to be very little risk."

He tried to nod his head but all that resulted from his efforts was a twitch. She seemed to understand his nervousness and promptly shoved him in the small of the back to the table that Liz was laying on. Her arms held out to her sides in a T shape with monitors and equipment softly beeping and recording her bio signs. Her features were pale under the bright lights and she was as terrified as him. He could feel it rolling off of her in waves.

"Hey." He whispered and gripped her hand tightly. Her grip was much weaker than the last time and he absently noted the medications that Baker was pushing through her IV. His staff made him proud with how well trained they were.

"I didn't know when I chose to stay. I'm so sorry." She hiccuped as a sob tore through her.

He gently pressed a kiss to her forehead through the mask he was wearing and could feel the prickling of tears in his own eyes. He blinked them back.

"It's ok, Liz. You're here now and safe." He squeezed her hand again as if to convey his forgiveness.

"We're at the uterus now, Leonard. Did you want to cut the cord?"

M'Benga's voice wafted over the curtain separating him from the team working. He turned to Liz, silently asking permission and she gave a tired nod.

By the time he moved to the side of the bed, he could see M'Benga pulling and twisting the head and shoulders of a very tiny infant. His hands became numb and his heart started to beat hard against his ribs. Every fear came riding to the surface as he waited while M'Benga cleared the nose and mouth. There was no sound. The world seemed to stop and he could hear a rushing in his ears.

He watched M'Benga start to turn the baby and cut the cord himself. He quickly passed the limp bundle to Chapel's waiting arms where she immediately started briskly rubbing the bundle and placing an oxygen mask over the nose and mouth at a rarely used bassinet on the side. The bright heat lamp accentuating the blue tones of his child's skin.

"Chris?" He asked quietly.

He waited...and then he heard a tiny cough and wail. His legs wobbled as a wave of relief came over him. That cry was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard and this time he let his tears fall.

"Is she ok?" Liz's tired voice called out.

He hadn't even looked to see if it was a boy or a girl.

"She's perfect, Liz." Chris answered for him as she worked. She made fast work of swaddling the tiny, now pink bundle. Before she closed the blanket, Leonard reached out a hand to touch the tiny flailing fist and his breath caught when five tiny fingers closed around his own large digit.

Chapel finished her ministrations and picked up his daughter, holding her in one arm while she used her other to steer a very shell-shocked Leonard McCoy to a chair that had been placed by Liz's head. Once she pressed him into it, she gently placed the baby in his arms.

"Congratulations. Have you picked out a name?" Chapel enquired.

Leonard looked at Liz who had tears running down her own face as she looked at the precious cargo she had carried for eight months.

"I had wanted to name her Joanna. If that's ok?" She asked Leonard.

"That's a perfect name." He held the tiny bundle, that was now blinking green eyes at the bright lights, closer to him. "Joanna, it is."

It was another hour before everyone in sickbay had stabilized and they readied themselves for the jump to get home. He held tightly to Liz with one hand and Joanna's bassinet with the other as the ship shuddered and shook. Joanna's frightened cries became louder as equipment started to fall and lights sparked out all around them.

"Come on, Jim. Get us home." He prayed and squeezed tighter to his two charges.

The light above them shattered, sending sparks raining down on them. Liz screamed as a jolt ran through the ship, causing her to jerk against the safety harness. Her medical alarms screamed in vivid contrast to the calm that was now suddenly befalling the ship.

_"Attention all hands. We have successfully exited the time stream and arrived home."_

A cheer rose from everyone in the medical bay but Leonard's eyes were focused on Liz. She had his hand in a death grip, her jaw tense and her eyes were screwed shut with pain.

"It's ok. Don't worry. I've got you." He murmured gently and ran a hand through her curly hair.

"M'Benga! I need you." McCoy shouted over the din of celebrating officers.

It wasn't long before his colleague was running a tricorder over Liz's tense form and setting a series of tests going using the biobed to attain more sensitive readings. M'Benga gently lifted Liz's blanket and gown to palpitate her abdomen. A frown creased his dark features as he watched Liz's agonized reaction to his checks.

"Geoff? I can see her blood pressure dropping, her pulse climbing and she's in far more pain than she should be. She's bleeding." McCoy whispered harshly.

His grip on her hand turned vise-like as he waited for M'Benga to confirm what he already knew.

"Yes." He turned to Liz. "The jolt from the ship caused your internal stitches to tear."

Liz gripped back, just as tight and closed her eyes.

"We have to operate again. I'm sorry."

McCoy wanted to be with her but Chapel had come and ushered him away from her the second they had her sedated and back in the OR. He held the tiny baby that she had given him and absently rocked her while his gaze was fixed on the doors. He felt hollow.

"Bones?"

McCoy jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. His nerves were frayed beyond measure. Liz had been back there for over an hour and he hadn't been able to find out what was going on.

"Hey, Jim." He mumbled, still staring forward.

Kirk leaned into his line of vision as he kneeled in front of him.

"She's cute. She has your scowl." Kirk indicated the tiny bundle and gave a weak smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"She has Liz's eyes." He told Jim. He took a deep breath that ended in a choked sob.

"_Oh God_, Jim. What if we went through all of that just to lose her again?"

Just as Jim pulled him into a careful hug, the doors opened to a grim-faced M'Benga. He knelt down to McCoy and Kirk and he felt his heart drop.

"No." He whispered.

Geoff put a gentle hand on McCoy's other shoulder and took a deep breath. His throat seemed to close and it felt like his chest was being squeezed as he tried to hold it together.

"She's ok, Len. She lost a lot of blood and we had to do a partial hysterectomy but she'll be fine. Right now she needs to rest and so do you."

He felt the bands around his chest loosen and he was able to breath again but he stubbornly shook his head.

"No. I...I need to be there for her." His eyes blurred with tears he stubbornly refused to let fall. He held Joanna tighter as though Liz could feel him through their daughter.

M'Benga's dark brown eyes softened but he shook his head.

"Len, let us do our job. She's going to be asleep for a good eight hours after a post-op check."

He started to shake as the adrenaline in his system started to wane now that he knew Liz was going to be ok. Jim gently pried Joanna out of his arms and he slumped in on himself.

"I don't think I could sleep after today." He put his head in his hands and stared at his feet when he felt the prick to the side of his neck. His head snapped up to see Christine looking at him sympathetically.

"I...I have to be there for...for them."

The world started to go grey and he soon slumped over as sleep claimed him.

Kirk watched as Chapel and M'Benga carefully moved Bones onto a biobed next to Liz. He smiled when he realized that Chris had made sure that they would see each other the moment they woke. He regarded the small bundle he held and smiled. The baby yawned exposing a tiny tongue and mouth full of gums and blinked bright green eyes at him. A warm feeling settled in his chest at the sight of her. She really was too cute.

"Captain?"

He jerked up and screwed his face into a serious expression at Nurse Chapel's knowing look.

"Yes?" He cleared his throat.

"Would you like to feed Joanna?" She held out a small bottle of formula and washcloth to him which he took slowly.

"Well...only if you're too busy." He tried to shrug nonchalantly.

She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Of course, _captain_. We really appreciate you helping us out." She said sarcastically and walked off laughing at his expression of disbelief.

It was a while later when Surok and Spock came down to the medical bay to see a spit-up covered captain. He was trying to wipe the mess off his uniform.

"Captain?" Spock questioned.

He gave up trying to clean his gold command tunic and pulled it off to just have on his black undershirt. Both vulcans eyed him with raised eyebrows and identical glints of amusement in their eyes.

"Yes?" He snapped.

Spock spoke first.

"The crew was concerned that they had not heard anything." He eyed the sleeping baby. "I surmise that everyone is in adequate health?"

"Miss Parker had some complications but she'll recover. Bones is sleeping and _this_" He waved a hand towards the bassinet. "is Joanna McCoy. All five pounds three ounces of her."

Surok nodded slowly, a small smile quirking his lips.

"It is as I had surmised. The universe is trying to repair itself, though in unexpected ways."

He viewed the sleeping couple near them with sad eyes.

"My own Dr. McCoy had a child named Joanna but it had been with his ex-wife Jocelyn. This version did not. The gift of parenthood shaped him in ways that this Leonard will benefit from. It will soften his brusque manner and the added bonus of having the woman he loves being a part of his life will help him heal from his past."

Jim frowned at that statement.

"So you knew?"

A slow nod from the aged Vulcan caused his frown to deepen.

"Then why did you erase the tricorders?" He asked.

Surok sighed and sat down next to Kirk.

"I know that if you had known this then that would have been the sole reason for your journey into the past. You and your crew needed to come up with a more valid reason than Miss Parker's pregnancy to have risked breaking the rules. Without that information you were able to find a way to adequately _bend_ the rules to suit everyone's needs."

Kirk shook his head feeling a small bubble of irritation at being manipulated. Though the end result was a good one, he didn't appreciate being played.

"Jim, I know that you are angry with what I did but I assure you it was not out of a belief that you are incapable or unable to understand. I did it to ensure a successful outcome for all parties involved."

His irritation waned as he followed Surok's gaze to where Bones and Liz slept peacefully. He supposed he was right. He still had a bunch of paperwork, though. Trying to explain this was going to be a serious undertaking. Spock seemed to read his mind and stepped forward.

"I believe that we should work together on our mission reports and debriefing to ensure that they...correspond."

Kirk's face lit up in a smile.

"You're going to lie?"

Spock stiffened.

"No, captain. Vulcans do not lie. I merely wish to ensure the accuracy of our paperwork."

Kirk laughed and clapped a hand on his first officer's shoulder.

"_Of course_, Spock. Thanks from both Dr. McCoy and me."

Liz groaned and tried to move but her arms and legs were heavy. She felt a dull ache on her lower abdomen but it didn't seem to bother her. She felt...like she was floating. She could hear the sounds of people whispering around her and she slowly opened her eyes. The bright lights caused her to blink a few times to be able to focus and soon she saw a very haggard looking Leonard leaning over her. Deep purple crescents were under his eyes and his hair was sticking up on the side accentuating the crazed look in his eyes.

"Hi." She croaked. Her throat was raw and she still felt so tired.

"Hi."

He sounded as rough as her. A grin split his face and it helped him look younger. She could see the tension slowly start to ebb away in his shoulders and neck.

"Elizabeth Parker. You are never leaving my side again. You get into way too much trouble."

She huffed a small laugh, grimacing as her belly shook. She saw him reach behind him and grab a hypo before gently pressing it to her neck. It was a minute before the pain ebbed away.

"Thanks." She tried to turn her head but it was so hard. She eventually conceded defeat and laid still.

"Is the baby ok?"

He nodded. She could see tears welling up in his eyes and she moved her hand to grasp his.

"Are you ok?" She continued.

"I am now." He gave her hand a small squeeze as if he was afraid he'd break her and then he turned away from her and walked away. She was about to try and get up when he came back to her, holding their baby girl.

A little fist was clutched around the blankets and her tiny head had a swirl of brown fuzz. When Liz looked closer she could see that she had the same nose as Leonard and her eyes had the same shape but instead of a warm brown, they were a bright emerald.

He leaned close to the baby and stage whispered with a smile.

"Miss Joanna, meet your momma and if she'll have me..." He looked at her and locked his gaze on her. "my wife."

Liz felt her heart flutter and her own tears stung at her eyes.

"Yes." She whispered and he beamed back at her.


	37. Chapter 37

**AN:It's been a fantastic ride writing this story but all good things must come to an end. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, followed and stuck with this story. It was so much fun to write! I hope everyone likes the ending and please let me know because it'll make it so much sweeter for me.**

**Tishbing**

Chapter Thirty-Seven

**Six Months Later**

Leonard McCoy trembled as he made his way back and forth across the small room on shaky legs. He thought he was going to throw up again. What had he been thinking? Going through this a second time was insanity. The first time had been an epic failure and now he was risking everything to do it again. Someone once told him that a true sign of insanity was doing the same task over and over again and expecting a different result. Maybe he was insane.

"Bones! You look great!"

A slap to his back made the bile rise to the back of his throat and he turned to glare at his friend who promptly took on an appropriate look of fear. Kirk raised his hands and backed away knowing that his bugging McCoy was like poking a bear with a sharp stick.

"Actually, you look like shit. Lucky for you, Chapel gave me this." Kirk pulled out a small, silver hypospray and held it to the light so that he could see it's contents.

McCoy nearly cried out in relief. Trust Chapel to always know what he needed. He grabbed the anti-nausea medication and promptly stabbed himself in the neck with it, ignoring Jim's infantile wincing. He still never understood why Jim acted like a baby with hypos but it did make it entertaining for him when McCoy had to administer vaccines.

It was a few more minutes before he felt his nausea subside to tolerable levels but when it did he let out a deep sigh. Kirk looked at his watch and then up at Bones.

"It's time." He said.

McCoy swallowed and walked out behind his best friend, his feet feeling like he had lead in the soles and he wondered if she was going to show up. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't. He was much too old and way too grouchy for her to actually go through with it and marry him.

Liz pressed her lips into a thin line to avoid her own throwing up. She was nervous and could see spots dancing in front of her eyes. She watched Uhura jiggling a bouncing chubby, brown-haired, green-eyed baby girl on her knee and smiling at the giggles elicited from the child. Joanna was a happy baby and the past six months had been wonderful with Leonard on Earth but his leave was almost up and since the Enterprise was in the vicinity they'd decided to do the ceremony to tie in with the crew's own shore leave.

Uhura, Spock and Jim had volunteered to watch the baby so they could have a proper honeymoon. Originally, it had just been Jim but McCoy had adamantly refused until he had enlisted Uhura and Spock's assistance. The nursing staff and senior staff from the Enterprise had banded together and bought their tickets to Hawaii as a mix of presents. Going away for Liz, since you can't have a baby on a starship, wedding present for the two of them, getting a break from the baby present and finally...a present to have Leonard come back to the ship in a slightly less foul mood since he'd be stuck leaving them behind. His only consolation is that her and Joanna will be safe on Earth.

She felt a tug on her hair and Christine Chapel stood back to admire her work with an excited smile. Liz was curious. Nurse Baker had covered the mirrors while they had helped her dress and do her hair and make-up. It was the big reveal. She looked at Uhura who had stopped bouncing Jo and was watching her with a far away expression on her face, her mouth opened in a silent o. Liz sincerely hoped that was a good sign.

Jenni Baker pulled the blanket off the mirror with a flourish and Liz's hands went to her mouth in shock. Her hair was loosely pinned away from her face and flowing down her back with little periwinkle flowers throughout her curls. Her face had only a hint of make-up on it making her green eyes appear more vivid and her lips were a rosy pink that looked like a pout. Her eyes travelled to her dress. It was a sleeveless white bodice that fanned out from her waist to the floor, a light blue ribbon around the middle that trailed down the back of her dress accented her thin waist. She gave a small twirl, very much feeling like a princess and upon seeing herself she felt her nerves calm. She looked at her left hand and saw the beautiful ring that Leonard had given her. It was a simple diamond solitaire in a platinum setting. The band was unusual. It looked like two rings swirling together to create one stronger piece. In a way, it was like them. Together, they were stronger.

"Alright, Liz. The usuals. Something old?" Christine eyed her while Liz held up her hand showing the engagement ring. It had been in Leonard's family for some time.

"Something new?"

Uhura held up Joanna and laughed. "I think she's pretty new." Christine smiled wider.

"Something borrowed?"

Liz frowned in thought but Chris quickly pulled off her own necklace, a small diamond pendant on a white gold chain and placed it around Liz's neck. Satisfied that it looked good, she stepped back.

"And you've got something blue so we're set." She looked at her watch and jumped. "Oh! It's time!"

She felt the butterflies in her belly as Christine handed her her flowers and took up her position in front of her, her own blue gown swaying. Liz heard the sound of the band starting up and she felt like she was having an out of body experience, a serene calm settling over her as the wedding march started to play. She gripped the tiny bundle of flowers and followed into the small chapel.

She saw the entire chapel was filled with the crew of the Enterprise, even Scotty and Keenser were in the rows. Although, he was wearing a kilt that was garnering quite a few looks from the ladies at his legs.

She walked down the aisle, keenly aware that everyone was standing and watching her but her eyes immediately found the front. Jim and Spock were standing next to him in their own tuxedoes but Leonard seemed apart from them. His brown eyes were bright with excitement and so full of love that it took her breath away. He was smiling so big that it made him look like a teenager. His black tux was a perfect fit that showed off all the hours he'd been spending outside on his family plot in Georgia tending to their garden and to the peach grove that had been neglected the past several years since he'd joined Starfleet.

He was so handsome that for a moment Liz wasn't sure he was the same man. She'd never seen him like that and it made him leaving them in two weeks that much harder. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop the tears threatening to well up. She had him now and he'd always come back to her and Jo. That's all that mattered.

Leonard McCoy was fidgeting in his suit. He felt like a monkey in the thing and probably looked just as ridiculous. Jim and Spock stood next to him as they waited for the band to tune their instruments.

"You got the rings, Jim?" He whispered out the side of his mouth.

"Oh, Shit!"

McCoy whirled around. "_What!?_" He growled.

Jim just laughed. "Yanking your chain, Bones. I've got them right here."

He patted his breast pocket with a smile and McCoy tried to relax but it was getting harder. He started nervously patting his leg when Spock leaned forward.

"Doctor. Perhaps you need an anxiolytic?"

McCoy immediately stopped tapping and scowled at the vulcan.

"No, Spock. I do not need that. I'm nervous. Not everyone can be as calm and collected as you were on your..." He snapped his fingers and a mock look of dawning understanding crept across his features. "...oh, wait...you were in heat on your wedding day so a few nerves is not that big of a deal."

Spock's ears turned a bright green and he turned away. "Agreed, doctor. Perhaps it is the male of every species that has a severe reaction to their wedding day."

Jim snorted but immediately straightened when the music started Mendelssohn's Wedding March. The creak and groan of the pews in the chapel was deafening as everyone took to their feet and turned to face the large wooden doors.

McCoy turned to face the doors when his breath caught in his chest at he sight. She looked like she was glowing, the sun shining off of her hair causing sparkles and gems of light to reflect off the strands almost like a halo. The long white gown only added to the effect of an angel and he was transfixed by her beauty. He knew his mouth was hanging open. He didn't need the nudge from Jim behind him to snap his mouth shut with a click.

Elizabeth stood in front of him looking completely composed. He wondered how she did that. She had on a smile that lit up the room and was calm whereas he could feel his heart threatening to burst out of his chest. His friend, Jim, stepped forward and in between them.

"Since the days of old wooden vessels, all shipboard captains have had one happy privilege. That of uniting two people in the bonds of matrimony. We are gathered here today to join two people whom the bonds of love have withstood many trials and tribulations, that only strengthened through the many difficulties endured through their service to the fleet. That survived the separation of time and space. Their love only grew stronger as time went on and as they discovered more about each other. It grew more powerful even against impossible odds."

Jim smiled at each of them in turn.

"Some would say that Leonard McCoy found his true love while others would say that Elizabeth Parker found hers. Either way, they found each other and held tight."

Kirk turned to Liz and McCoy tensed.

"Elizabeth Parker. Do you take this man, Leonard Horatio McCoy, as your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold? In sickness and in health? For richer, for poorer? As long as you both shall live, until death do you part?"

His mouth went dry as she turned her head to him and smiled. It seemed like time stopped as he watched her mouth form the words.

"I do."

Jim faced him.

"Do you, Leonard Horatio McCoy, take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold? In sickness and in health? For richer, for poorer? As long as you both shall live, until death do you part?"

He could feel his cheeks becoming sore as he grinned at the woman he loved.

"I do."

Jim reached into his pocket and handed each of them a ring. His fingers were numb as he took Liz's left hand and placed the band on her delicate finger. His throat was parched as he spoke the words he'd prepared.

"I give you this ring, Elizabeth Parker, as a reminder that I will love, honor and cherish you. In all times, in all places and in all ways, forever."

Once he finished, he could see tears in her eyes but he knew that they were happy. He wasn't one for public displays of affection and she knew it but right then he was showing the world how much he truly loved her.

She took his hand and that was when he felt her shaking, too. She carefully placed his ring on him.

"I give you this ring, Leonard McCoy, as a reminder that I will love, honor and cherish you. In all times, in all places and in all ways, forever."

Kirk stood straighter.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Leonard leaned forward at the same time as Liz, the air becoming still and silent as they pressed their lips together. An almost chaste kiss before they pulled apart to the sound of clapping and cheers. At this moment, looking around and seeing his friends and his daughter with the woman that was now his wife standing next to him...he was the happiest man on Earth.

"Bones...I have a confession to make."

McCoy tore his eyes away from where Liz was on the dance floor with Chekov. The kid was bright red from the moment Liz showed his where to put his hands and McCoy was wondering if he was going to have to medically intervene when his best friend sat next to him at their table.

"Jim...I'm a doctor, not a priest and if it has to do with those two Caitian strippers you forced on me when you kidnapped me for a bachelor party last night, I really don't want to know." He watched Jim shake his head and he raised an eyebrow in surprise when Jim became more serious and slid a PADD across the table to him.

"What's this?" He asked.

McCoy picked up the PADD and started to read.

"It's mine and Spock's wedding present to you. It took us the past five months to get the admiralty to agree to it and we had to call in favors from everywhere but it finally got approved. The Enterprise is being retrofitted as we speak to be a generational ship. It's an experiment to try and boost enlistment and morale in the fleet."

He didn't know what to say but his mind slowly started to catch up.

"But Liz resigned her commission to stay on Earth with Jo."

Kirk looked a little surprised.

"She resigned her commission because she would have had to leave behind Jo. Right?"

At McCoy's nod, he continued.

"Well, now she doesn't have to. I have standing orders for her to be a part of the Enterprise with you and you'll be assigned family quarters. There will be childcare facilities, teachers and special protocols in place to keep everyone safe."

McCoy pondered the choice. Now that he had one. He looked away from Jim to Uhura and Spock holding and playing with Joanna. They would be wanting their own child soon and like him, they probably wouldn't want to miss out on a moment of that child growing up. He moved his head to watch Liz twirling and smiling, her cheeks rosy from dancing, now with Sulu. Her radiant smile made something in his heart clench. Was it selfish to want her and Joanna with him? It's not like Earth was much safer. It had nearly gone the same way as Vulcan not too long ago.

At least this way he could keep an eye on all of the people important to him. He wouldn't miss JoJo's first steps, her first words, her first anything. He'd be there to put her to bed at night and Liz would be there with him. Right by his side.

"Alright, Jim. When do we go?"

**The End**


End file.
